Anambra Showdown: Allegations of vote-buying trail peaceful poll

*APGA, APC in two-horse race, Soludo in early lead
*YPP, ADC show promise

• Soludo, Obi, Moghalu, others decry vote-trading
• Moghalu weighs options
• Governor wins unit, optimistic of victory

By Anayo Okoli, Vincent Ujumadu, Dennis Agbo, Nwabueze Okonkwo, Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Nwankpa Chijioke

ALLEGATIONS of vote-buying and minor glitches marred yesterday’s governorship election in Anambra State.

The poll was largely peaceful and recorded impressive voter turnout in most parts of the state visited by a strong team of Vanguard’s editors and correspondents.

At many polling units, the elderly, physically challenged and others trooped out as early as 7am to exercise their franchise.

However, on a day that incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo, who is running on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, won his polling unit and jumped into an early lead over Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, major stakeholders decried the menace of vote-buying that hallmarked the exercise.

Those who complained of vote-buying include Governor Soludo; former governor of the state and 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi; LP Governorship Candidate, Dr George Mogahalu; and the Obidient Movement.

Soludo alleges buying, confident of landslide victory

Soludo, who voted at his Ofeiyi ward 19, polling unit 002 in Isuofia, Aguata LGA at about 1:30pm, alleged that reports he got indicated there was vote-buying particularly in Nnewi South LGA.
Nevertheless, he said that he was confident of victory.

His words: “Today is election day and as expected I’ve been getting calls all over the place, I’ve been receiving calls across the state and I think that one way to say it is that it has been relatively peaceful and going on smoothly.

“There have been hitches here and there, like in Orumbanasa that BVAS were not working well there but all said and done it’s been well.

“The concerns we’ve received is in one or two places in Nnewi South particularly where we understand there is massive vote-buying with some being paid by a candidate particularly from that local government and he seems to be desperate to win his local government and he’s been sharing N15,000 and I said even if he shares N100,000, never mind let the people just vote and count the votes.

“We are convinced that based on one man, one vote we are going to win landslide, no doubt about that.”

It’s highest vote-buying ever in Nigeria —Moghalu

At a briefing at his Nnewi residence the in company of the National Coordinator of the Obident Movement, Dr Yunusa Tanko, the LP candidate lamented that he had never seen the quantum of vote- buying as was obtainable in the election.

Dr George Moghalu said that his next line of action in the election will be determined by the report he gets from the 320 electoral wards in the state he deployed his aides.

On his next line of action, Moghalu said: “I will speak after I have received the reports from my agents deployed to 320 wards in Anambra State. But I have not seen vote- buying in this quantum. This is an election that is over-policed. More than five very important Deputy Inspectors General of Police were deployed to Anambra State, that is why INEC should redeem its image in the election and the new INEC Chairman must make a statement with this election.”

Security agents ignore voter-buyers at Nkpor

Indeed, law enforcement agents looked the other way as suspected agents of one of the major parties wooed voters with N5,000to vote for their party at Nkpor polling units 009, 010, 011, 012 and 013

As voters trooped into the polling units, one of the agents would approach him or her and demand to see their voters card and on presentation, he or she would be taken to a corner under a staircase and given the amount and thereafter monitor them until they thumb-print their ballot papers and drop them into the ballot box.

Vote-buying was on large scale – Peter Obi

The 2023 Presidential candidate of the LP, Mr. Peter said that the report he got was that there was large scale vote-buying.

Obi spoke shortly after casting his vote at his Agulu polling unit in Aniocha LGA of the state.
Fielding questions from newsmen, Obi said: “My personal experience is that democracy is deteriorating in our country. Unfortunately, those who are the victims of bad governance seem to be fueling it.

“I have been able to listen to people around on what is happening today, what you see is that vote buying is on the scale of N20,000, N30, 000. The question I ask is: if you sell your vote for N30,000, what are you going to be paid next month? By selling your votes you’re selling no school, no hospital no job; you’re selling away your future and that is what is very worrisome.

“Other countries, even West African countries that are close to us where I have observed elections, I didn’t see this happen. So you people who are journalists must cooperate to save the situation.”

On the party he belongs, Obi said that he is still a member of the Labour Party and he supports the LP candidate, but that everybody involved in the election are all his brothers and sisters.
“I’m not on the ballot, I had been governor 13 years ago so I’m strictly in Champions League of Nigerian Politics, I’m contesting to be president of Nigeria. For people who are in 1st Division, I wish them well. I hope surely they will do very well, whoever wins let him serve the people.

“Nigeria needs service men, we need to pull our people out of poverty, our people need to know that schools are working, it’s not grandstanding, we need to rebuild hospitals, that’s why we are supporting Nursing Schools to be able to produce the manpower that is required for every village to have a primary healthcare where people can go to.”

On the new INEC chairman, Obi said that he had congratulated the new INEC chairman and told him to look at what happened to his predecessors.

“All I can say to him is that the name and reputation his children will live with is a test for him in office. So while you are there try to serve humanity and society.”

Bianca Ojukwu gives poll pass mark

However, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, gave the exercise a pass mark, saying that it was peaceful and hitch-free.

Speaking shortly after casting her vote at about 12.25pm at Polling Unit 001, Ward 2 at the premises of St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Okpuno-Egbu, Umudim Nnewi, Nnewi North LGA, Bianca, who also monitored the election in some polling units in Uruagu Ward 2, lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for its satisfactory and commendable performance.

Teeming voters at Polling Unit 019 and others at Uruagu Ward 2 sang praises of the minister.
Ahead of the announcement of the election results, she urged the contestants to take the outcome in good fate. She said the ultimate was to elect a governor that serves the interest of Anambra State and its people.

Senator Nwoye votes, praises INEC

The Senator representing Anambra North Senatorial Zone, Senator Tony Nwoye voted at 9:43 am at Nsugbe Ward 1 in Anambra East LGA.

Addressing newsmen after voting, Nwoye said he was not impressed with voters turnout, adding that preliminary report he is getting across the state indicates that there may be voter’s apathy.
However, Senator Nwoye commended the efforts of security operatives and praised the electorate for maintaining calm and order.

Chidoka brothers, others commend exercise

At unit 014, one of the three units located at St. Andrews Anglican Church Central School, Obosi Ward 1 former Minister of Aviation, Chief, Osita , Chidoka and his younger brother, Hon. Obinna, who represented Idemili North/South Constituency in the House of Representatives, voted at about 11.30 am.

Speaking after casting their votes, the Chidoka brothers said they were satisfied with the peaceful conduct of the exercise so far and urged all the electorate to come out en masse to exercise their franchise.

Also at Oba in Idemili South LGA, the traditional ruler, Igwe Augustine Emelobe, who spoke to newsmen at Units 011, 040 and 012 , while going round the polling units to monitor the exercise, expressed satisfaction with the ongoing election so far.

His subjects, Chief Ikenna Iyiegbu (Ike Cubana) who moved round with the monarch, told newsmen that he voted at his Unit 018 earlier in the day,, while Dr. Obiora Obiabumuo, the Managing Director, Bureau of Statistics and Statisican-General of Anambra State, observed that the exercise was going on in a free and fair manner.

Ezeokenwa, Orji, Egbeji laud INEC, Ndi Anambra

The National Chairman of APGA, Mr Sly Ezeokenwa, Onitsha South LG Mayor, Hon.Emeka Orji and CEO Admin Oil and Gas, Chief Promise Egbeji have commended the INEC for a peaceful conduct of the exercise in the state.

Ezeokenwa who said this after voting at his polling unit at Fegge ward 4 stated that there is no problem so far.

He said: “You can observe, this is immaculate Heart Parish and it houses I think six polling units including my own polling units 007, Fegge ward 4 Onitsha South LGA.

“The process has been very smooth except for the few polling units that has been reported of BVAS malfunctioning which I trust the commission, I know they have deployed competent experts and called the registration area technicians to rectify any issue that arose from the malfunctioning of the BVAS and I trust that they are going to do that.

“But there are few polling units that have reported of missing result sheets, which the reporters came and the presiding officers of those units probably left the result sheets and our very competent agents told them that without result sheets, there will be no voting and they have brought result sheets in those polling units, so, so far, so good,” he said.

On his expectations, he said: “Our expectation is nothing less than 99 percent, we have shown capacity, shown commitment to people, we have shown we left no one behind, and there is no doubt when you work for the people, people will reward you.”

The Mayor of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Hon.Chief Emeka Orji after voting in his polling units 002, at Agai Primary School Fegge, Onitsha South, described the process as free, fair, credible and transparent.

A stakeholder in the area, Chief Promise Egbeji, who is the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Admin Foundation and Admin Oil and Gas in his contribution stated that since 8 O’Clock till evening everything is free and fair, everywhere is calm, no brutality.

Soludo coasting home

At press time early results from most of the 21 LGAs showed Governor Soludo to be in a huge lead. Unless, things take a dramatic turn, if trend of early results from Aguata, Njikoka, Awka South, Awka North, Idemili South, Idemili North, Ihiala, Onitsha South, Onitsha North, Ekwusigo and Anambra East was sustained, Soludo will coast home to victory.

APGA leader feared dead, NYSC member molested in Ihiala

Meanwhile, Ala member of the APGA, who is the leader of Orumba South LGA was feared dead on Saturday during the governorship election.

Details of the incident were not known, but a prominent politician in Orumba South, who confirmed it, said the late local government lawmaker hailed from Owere Ezukala.

Also, a member of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, who served as a presiding officer at Ihiala was allegedly molested by aggrieved voters who felt he was trying to manipulate the voting process.

Generally, the election was peaceful in most areas. However, Ogbaru, Njikoka and parts of Awka North recorded logistics problems. Minor issues were also reported at Kwata Junction in Awka because of the late arrival of election materials.

Few units did not have security operatives, but it did not stop the poll as the people conducted themselves well. At a polling unit near Eke Awka market, only four voters were accredited as of 10am because most of the people who registered there reside far from the market.

At Njikoka LGA, there were complaints of vote-buying.

At Nkwele Ezunaka, Oyi LGA, there were also reports of vote-buying. In one unit at Ogbaru, INEC officials reported without being accompanied by security officials. At Anambra East, some people alleged that there were attempts to induce security officials, although the operatives themselves denied it.

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