The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate what it described as an open attempt by Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, to induce voters financially ahead of the November 8 governorship election in the state.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement on Sunday, urged INEC not to overlook the governor’s recent comments, which, according to him, amounted to a violation of the Electoral Act.
Governor Soludo, while addressing supporters at a campaign rally in Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area, on Saturday, had promised financial rewards to wards that deliver victory for his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in the forthcoming election.
“When we were campaigning for the Senate, we knew we would win every ward in the South Senatorial Zone, but we still had some incentives. Any ward that APGA won received ₦1 million, and we won all the wards in Orumba South,” Soludo told the cheering crowd.
“For the November 8 election, any ward that wins again will receive ₦1 million, while the top three performing wards will get ₦5 million, ₦2 million, and ₦1 million respectively,” he added.
Reacting, Abdullahi condemned the statement, saying it showed the governor had lost public trust and was resorting to desperate tactics.
“Ahead of the November 8 election, Soludo has clearly lost the confidence of the people of Anambra. Only a sitting governor who has run out of goodwill would so openly resort to cash-for-votes, in direct breach of Sections 121 and 127 of the Electoral Act, which criminalise voter inducement,” Abdullahi stated.
He described the governor’s remarks as “a new level of desperation wrapped in impunity” and urged INEC to act swiftly.
“I hope INEC is not pretending not to see this. The law is clear, and no one, no matter how highly placed, should be above it,” Abdullahi added.
