Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has ignited a political firestorm and allegations of electoral malpractice by promising cash rewards of up to N5 million for wards that deliver victories for his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, in the upcoming governorship election.
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has stirred controversy and allegations of vote-buying after announcing cash rewards for electoral wards won by his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, in the November 8 governorship election.
During a campaign rally in Umunze, Governor Soludo promised N1 million to every ward won by APGA, with additional bonuses for the top-performing areas. “For November 8, any ward that wins again will receive N1m, while the first three performing wards will get N5m, N2m and N1m respectively,” he stated.
The pledge has provoked immediate backlash from opposition parties and civil society organizations, who describe the move as a blatant violation of the Electoral Act. The National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the South-East, Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu, said, “Clearly, this is vote-buying and against the electoral law.”
Similarly, the Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, accused the governor of weaponizing poverty, stating, “This is vote-buying and manipulation. He has failed in governance and now wants to buy legitimacy with money.”
Rights activist Debo Adeniran of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership called the action reprehensible, noting, “What he has done amounts to electoral indiscipline and a criminal act.” He urged INEC to apply the appropriate laws, emphasizing that immunity does not cover electoral offences.
In defense, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor, dismissed the allegations, framing the promise as mere motivation for party supporters. “How does motivation for supporters amount to vote-buying?” he queried, accusing opponents of taking the governor’s remarks out of context.