Polling station 019, Ward 2 in Amatutu, Agulu town, Anambra state, southeast Nigeria, has opened for voting. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, will cast his ballot at this voting unit.
Despite the security issues in the South-East, voters seem ready to fulfil their civic duty. There have been attacks in the area leading up to the general election that have been attributed to armed gangs.
Simon Ekpa, a factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) faction, had urged people in the area not to cast ballots today. However, security organisations have reassured the public that they are on top of the situation and urged them to carry on with their legal responsibilities.
The next president of Nigeria will face numerous challenges. Over the past few years, security has drastically declined, the nation is currently experiencing a cash crisis brought on by an effort to replace outdated naira bills with new ones, inflation is out of control, and corruption is so pervasive that the state hardly works.
Many Nigerians believe that things can only get worse from here, and Obi is one of three candidates widely supported to restore the Nigerian economy.