According to SaharaReporters, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has alleged that there was widespread vote-buying by political parties during the Anambra State governorship election which was held on Saturday.

This was made known by the CDD’s Director of Research, Sa’eed Usaini who claimed that most of the electoral crimes were committed as compromised security operatives looked the other way.

“We have also noted widespread incidence of vote-buying that will likely negatively impact the credibility of the election result.

“CDD observers reported numerous not so discreet cases of ‘see and buy’ in polling units across the 21 LGAs of the state.

“In many reported cases, police officers have been alleged to have looked the other way likely as a result of having themselves been compromised.”

He also noted that the technical issues arising from the use Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) threatens the quality of the election outcome.

The CDD Director said in several cases, the BVAS failed to recognise voters’ faces and fingerprints, and those affected were asked to wait until the challenge was resolved.

This is even as he noted that CDD observers reported that malfunctioning of the BVAS in Ayamelum Local Government Area with three polling units affected.

According to him, INEC resorted to the use of manual methods of accreditation and voting in some polling units in Akwa South, Awka North, Idemili North, Idemili South, and Anambra West local government areas of the state.

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