The Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, has cast his ballot in the ongoing governorship election in the state.

The governor arrived at his polling unit at around 9:28 am. at Eri Primary School, Unit 004, Otuocha 1, Aguleri, Anambra East LGA.

Mr Obiano, who arrived alongside his wife, Ebelechukwu, went straight to join the queue of voters for about five minutes before his aides asked him to join the podium to exercise his franchise.

Despite the low turnout at the centre, Mr Obiano commended the large voter turnout he met on the ground. He also described the process as fair while commending INEC for the process.

He also urged all Anambra voters to come out en masse to exercise their franchise.

“I am very happy to have exercised my civic responsibility. I want to ask all Anambra citizens wherever they are to come out en masse and vote,” the governor said. “We can see everywhere is peaceful, and that is the way it is across the state.

In her remarks, Mrs Obiano called for a peaceful voting process.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that on Saturday, 6 November, the electoral umpire, INEC, would be conducting the governorship elections in Anambra State, a state in South-East Nigeria.

Eighteen candidates are participating in the election.

Some of the frontline candidates Andy Uba of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC); a former CBN governor, Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and Valentine Ozigbo of the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).

The poll, however, comes against the backdrop of heightened insecurity posed by the secessionist agitations group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Although the outlawed group had declared a sit-at-home order to discourage residents from taking part in the elections, it later backtracked on its decision on Thursday evening in a statement issued by its spokesperson Emma Powerful, saying the sit-at-home had been cancelled.

Anambra, with over four million population, consists of 21 local government areas. There are 5,720 Polling Units (PUs) across the state.