By Kasie Abone, Awka
The immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Victor Oye, has attributed the impressive voter turnout at his polling unit, Ebeakpu Square II, Amawbia, to an intensive grassroots campaign led by the party.
Speaking during the voting exercise on election day, Dr. Oye said the success was the result of strategic community engagement carried out by APGA ahead of the polls.
“We visited every kindred, every household, every marketplace, community leaders, youth groups, and polling booth managers. We mobilized everyone, and the people are happy,” he said.
Dr. Oye commended the peaceful conduct of the election in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area, noting that voting was proceeding smoothly across the town with no incidents of violence reported.
When asked about possible challenges encountered, he confirmed that there were minor issues with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
“At St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, one of the three BVAS machines was unable to capture voters, but efforts are ongoing to resolve the issue,” he explained.
On reports that some eligible voters who registered during the last INEC registration exercise were unable to vote due to BVAS-related issues, Oye acknowledged receiving such complaints but maintained that the matter was beyond his control.
“If INEC says such people cannot vote, there is nothing I can do about it,” he said.
At his polling unit, voters’ names were reportedly not displayed for verification, a situation that drew mixed reactions. Dr. Oye, however, downplayed the concern, stating that as long as it was not a deliberate omission, he had no issue with it.
Expressing strong confidence in APGA’s prospects at the polls, he said:
“What is important is that we are going to win. The people are here, they are all for APGA because the governor has worked hard and performed well. That’s why we are not inducing anyone.”
He further alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) attempted to influence voters but emphasized that APGA’s message to the electorate remained simple. “Vote your conscience.”
