By Dalena Reporters | November 8, 2025
A presiding officer for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Miss Blessing Egoigwe, fainted on Saturday during the gubernatorial election in Anambra State, officials have confirmed.
The incident occurred at Polling Unit 005, Ward 2, Enugwu-Ukwu, in the Njikoka Local Government Area. According to reports, a thick crowd and confusion caused by the malfunctioning of the biometric verification device (BVAS) preceded the fainting. The device reportedly failed to recognise voters’ cards — especially those of newly-registered voters — generating frustration among the electorate.
Upon fainting, Miss Egoigwe was rushed to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention.
More than 470 registered voters at the polling unit were unable to cast their votes as a direct result of the breakdown in the verification system. An 18-year-old first-time voter, Miss Blessing Okoye, said she was “denied the opportunity” because the machine failed to capture her fingerprint. A 55-year-old voter, Mrs Ifeoma Iloeze, lamented that despite waiting since morning till evening (6:29 pm) she was unable to vote after the BVAS failed to capture her face.
The technical failure of the BVAS at this polling unit underscores the volatile environment under which some parts of the election are being conducted, especially in terms of technology reliability and voter experience. The fact that an INEC official fainted amid the crowd and system stress points to both logistical and human-resource strains.
Observers say such incidents risk disenfranchising voters and eroding confidence in electoral processes, particularly in a contest as closely watched as the Anambra governorship poll.
INEC technicians were reportedly alerted to the malfunction and visited the polling unit, though they were said to have achieved “little improvement”. Meanwhile, the voting process at the affected unit remains disrupted with a large number of potential votes left uncast.
As the state continues to report results, this incident will likely feature in assessments of election integrity and voter accessibility.
Dalena Reporters Analysis:
The fainting of the INEC presiding officer at Enugwu-Ukwu is a stark indicator of the operational pressures at polling units. While technological tools like the BVAS are intended to enhance verification and transparency, their failure at a critical moment can have disproportionate ripple effects: disenfranchisement, crowd frustration, and even health emergencies. Without robust contingency systems, polling units risk becoming flashpoints rather than venues of democratic participation.