Challenges Faced by Elderly Voters in Anambra State
Several elderly individuals, both men and women, who arrived at the Ezienwelu Polling Unit 001 in Nimo Ward 2, located within the Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, encountered difficulties while attempting to cast their votes. The issue stemmed from the failure of the Biometric Voter Authentication System (BVAS) machines to recognize them.
The affected voters expressed their disappointment, noting that they had arrived as early as 7 am with the intention of casting their ballots. However, due to the malfunctioning BVAS machines, they were unable to proceed with the voting process.
A 76-year-old woman named Ifeyinwa Okafor shared her experience with a correspondent. She mentioned, “Although the INEC officials arrived as early as 8 am, the accreditation process did not begin until 30 minutes later. While the exercise is proceeding smoothly, it is happening at a slow pace.”
She continued, “They asked us to sit down because the machines were not capturing our faces. We were told that the reason could be that our faces have changed, and that they need to capture us through thumb-printing.”
For these voters, the wait has been patient, as they have been waiting for the authorities to call them to cast their ballots. However, they suspect that the machine’s failure to recognize them might be due to network issues.
A polling officer present at the ward, who wished to remain anonymous, provided an alternative explanation. He stated, “The BVAS did not capture the aged people because their faces have likely changed. It is not because of a network issue; the BVAS doesn’t operate with a network.”
He added, “But we are sorting it out. We have asked them to wait while we review the issue, but if it is not resolved by the end of the day, they will vote using thumb-printing.”
Election Context and Observations
Today’s Anambra governorship election has attracted 16 candidates from various political parties, all vying for the position currently held by Chukwuma Soludo of the APGA party.
Our correspondent observed that voting was still ongoing peacefully in the polling unit as of 12:20 pm. Despite the challenges faced by some elderly voters, the overall atmosphere remained calm and orderly.
Key Issues Identified
- BVAS Machine Failure: The primary issue revolved around the BVAS machines failing to recognize elderly voters.
- Waiting Period: Voters had to wait patiently for the problem to be resolved.
- Alternative Voting Method: If the issue persists, voters may resort to thumb-printing as an alternative method.
- Network vs. Facial Recognition: There was a debate over whether the issue was related to network problems or changes in facial features.
Conclusion
The situation highlights the challenges that can arise during elections, especially when relying on technology that may not account for the natural changes in human appearance. While the election process continues, the concerns raised by the elderly voters underscore the need for more robust and adaptable systems to ensure that every eligible voter can participate without difficulty.