The Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms, CODER, has commended the people of Anambra State "for having conducted themselves in a peaceful manner so far," but added that the governorship election has fallen short of peoples' expectations in critical areas.
This was contained in an interim statement on the observation of the Anambra State governorship election held last Saturday.
Describing the election as a "litmus test for the 2015 general election," for both the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and Nigerians, CODER said that "some of the irregularities observed in some local governments include ballot snatching, massive thump printing, lateness of materials to polling units, absence of INEC officials and materials at some polling units, inadequate logistic provision for security officers deployed from other states, hostile polling officers to observers, complicity of the security agents in electoral fraud, display of campaign posters" among a host of others were observed in some (sensitive) local governments in the state.
It said that election materials did not arrive on time in many polling units specifically in Idemili North, South and Ihiala local government areas while in Nnokwa ward, in Idemili South LGA, names starting with O-Z were missing from the voters' register.
It added in the statement: "As at 1p.m., no INEC officials or materials were seen in Nkpor 4, Idemili North LGA. As a result of late arrivals of voting materials, accreditation could not start on time in Idemili South, Idemili North and Ogbaru LGAs, although accreditation and voting periods were extended in some of these polling units."