Nkem Okeke, deputy governor of Anambra State, has attributed the large turnout of voters to the presence of security agencies in the state.
Okeke, who spoke on the huge turn-out, said the decision of the Federal Government to deploy massive security in the state was the magic.
“The people are very relaxed as you can see. There is no apprehension at all. People have no reason not to come out, because they are confident of the security,” he said.
Okeke had a few weeks ago dumped his party, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) for the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The build up to the election witnessed a high degree of killings in the state and the geo-political zone as a whole.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had declared a one week sit-at-home which would have dealt a big blow to the turnout but their last minute announcements cancelling the order might have remedied the situation.
Although there have been issues with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), deployed for the election.
The BVAS is a system that combines fingerprint and face biometrics for identity verification of voters and it is having some hitches in many places including in the polling unit of the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.
Read also: Anambra election: INEC suspends result collation
Against all permutations over a possible violence-ridden exercise and voter apathy, the Anambra off-season gubernatorial election is progressing well; our correspondent in Awka can report.
There is quite an impressive voter turnout in all the polling units in many parts of the state.
Amaesi Ward of Aguata Local Government Area of recorded a large turn-out of voters.
As early as 7.30am before the arrival of electoral officers at 8.35 a.m at the ward, which is the home of Valentine Ozigbo, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), candidate, many voters had arrived.
Voting however, commenced at about 9:40 a.m at Polling Units 5, 11, 12, 13, 15 located at Social Centre in Amaesi ward, Aguata LGA.
Agnes Okoli, a septuagenarian, said that she got to the polling point as early as 7:30 a.m and had to wait till officials arrived, expressing her happiness at the peaceful conduct of the people as well as hope that it would end that way.
She said she was anxious to vote because it was her civic duty and that it was an opportunity for Amaesi to give Anambra their son as governor because one of the major candidates was from the Community.
Another indigene, Matthew Echeozor said he was at the venue when the officials arrived.
Echeozor said he was satisfied with the guidelines read out by the officials and urged the voters to adhere to them.
The Polling Official, who preferred anonymity, confirmed to voters that both the sensitive and non sensitive materials including original result sheets were present.
The official said special attention would be given to the aged, persons with disability and pregnant women.
Combined team of Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel was seen ensuring there was order.
Massive turn-out was also recorded in such areas as Amawbia, Enugwu-Ukwu, Ogidi, among others, with a long queues of voters, waiting to be accredited for voting.
