Governor Chukwuma Soludo and the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Nicholas Ukachukwu, have both flagged disturbing cases of vote-buying during Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State, casting a shadow over the electoral process.
Soludo, accompanied by his wife, Nonye, exercised his franchise at 1:20 p.m. at his polling unit in Isuofia. Whilst commending the Independent National Electoral Commission for what he described as a “smooth and well-organised” voting process, the governor did not mince words in condemning the alleged monetisation of votes at his polling station.
The governor levelled accusations against an unnamed political party candidate, claiming the individual had engaged in direct vote-buying to sway voters at his polling unit. He subsequently called on Anambrarians to turn out en masse and participate in the democratic exercise.
Earlier in the day, Ukachukwu, who cast his ballot at Osumenyi Ward 2, Polling Unit 012, painted an even grimmer picture of the electoral environment. The APC candidate decried what he termed systematic intimidation of his party agents alongside rampant vote-buying, warning that such practices posed a grave threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
“If there’s no seller, there cannot be a buyer. Some people have chosen to sell their conscience, which is even worse than those buying votes,” Ukachukwu told journalists after voting. “When you give up your right for money, you lose your voice as a citizen. You can’t cry later; society must be blamed for encouraging this.”
The APC candidate, however, offered a measured assessment of the security situation, noting that whilst tensions were palpable, the state had largely remained calm. “There are always tensions during elections, but for now, it’s largely calm,” he said, adding that no deaths or serious unrest had been reported as of the time he spoke.
Despite acknowledging the challenges confronting the electoral process, Ukachukwu maintained an optimistic outlook regarding his chances. “I believe in God that winning is still possible; the day is still young,” he added.
The allegations from both political figures have heightened concerns about the integrity of the election, with civil society organisations and election observers closely monitoring developments across the state’s 21 local government areas.
Vote-buying has remained a persistent challenge in Nigerian elections, with politicians often exploiting economic hardship to induce voters into compromising their democratic rights. The practice typically involves distributing cash or material items to voters in exchange for their support at polling units.
