Counting Begins As Vote-buying Casts Shadow Over Anambra Governorship Poll

The sorting and counting of votes cast in the Saturday Anambra State governorship election began late yesterday.

So far, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  Result Viewing Portal (IReV) showed that over 95 per cent of results have been successfully uploaded.

This comes as the  candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the election, Professor Chukwuma Soludo appears to be in an early lead of the race as results tickled in.

Soludo, the incumbent governor of the state who is seeking re-election is in the race with the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nicholas Ukachukwu, the flag bearer of the Labour Party (LP), George Moghalu; candidate of Young Progressives Party (YPP) Paul Chukwuma; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Jude Ezenwafor and 11 others.

Most of results of the election uploaded on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV), showed that Soludo was leading while APC, YPP, LP ADC, PDP and others trailed behind.

Evidently, in Anaocha local government, Agulu ward, Polling Unit, PU 008, APGA scored 73 and APC got 7, while in PU 011, APGA obtained 63 votes leaving APC with 11 and ADC, 1.

In Akwaeze ward of the same local government area, PU 019, APGA secured 46 votes, APC, 18 and LP, 1 while in PU 008,  APGA scored 56 and APC 9.

From Onitsha North local government, ward 06, PU 007, APGA garnered 162 votes; APC got 23 and ADC -8. In ward 09, PU 003 APGA has 197 votes, APC- 41, LP- 11, PDP scored 1 while ADC had 5.

In Anambra West local government, ward 03, PU 008, APGA scored 73, APC had 40 votes, YPP scored 35, ADC and LP, got 1 vote each. Results of ward 05, PU 001 of the local government indicated that APGA got 89 votes, APC scored 35, and YPP had 18 while ADC and LP got no vote.

At PU 004, Ward 09 of Awka North local government, APGA obtained 97 votes, ADC had 15 votes, LP scored 10, YPP gathered 4 and PDP  got 1 while in PU 001, APGA recorded 162, APC had 50, ADC had 11, YPP, 3, LP and PDP got 2 each.

Meanwhile, International observers and civil society organisations have lauded the INEC for the transparent, efficient and peaceful conduct of the polls.

The chief press secretary to the chairman of INEC, Dayo Oketola, in a statement said reports from accredited observer groups he  monitored in the INEC Situation Room indicated smooth operations, improved voter turnout compared to 2021, and a calm atmosphere across polling units.

He said both local and international monitors commended INEC’s logistical coordination and effective deployment of technology under the leadership of its chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN.

Dr Emmanuel Nkweke of the International Association of World Peace Advocates, one of the accredited international observer groups, praised INEC’s preparedness and professionalism, noting that voting materials, BVAS deployment, and the presence of security agencies were “exceptionally well- coordinated.”

“The process has been peaceful and well-managed. Accreditation is smooth, BVAS is functioning as expected, and INEC officials are courteous and efficient,” Dr Nkweke said while monitoring polling units in Awka.

He also lauded the conduct of security agencies, saying, “The environment is calm and secure. We observed up to seven police officers at some units, and their conduct has been exemplary. The collaboration among the security agencies deserves commendation.”

On allegations of vote buying, he noted, “We have not seen anything like that in the areas observed. As international observers, we report what we see, not rumours. So far, this election has been peaceful and credible.”

Civil society organisations have also commended INEC for what they described as a transparent, well-coordinated, and timely process.

Director of Programmes at Yiaga Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu applauded the early arrival of materials and personnel, noting that voting commenced on schedule.

“Our observers were up early in the morning to monitor arrival times, and we saw that materials and INEC officials arrived as early as 7:34 a.m. in Amawbia, Awka South,” she said. “Commencement of voting by 8:30 a.m., as stipulated by the Electoral Act, shows a high level of readiness and efficiency by INEC.”

Mbamalu described the early deployment as a “positive sign of transparent elections,” adding that Yiaga Africa prioritised the early start of polling as a key benchmark of credibility.

Despite assurances and heavy security deployment, vote trading characterised yesterday’s governorship election in Anambra State.

Checks by LEADERSHIP Sunday revealed that votes were bought and sold for between N2,000 and N15,000 at various polling units across the state during the election.

There was also voter apathy during the exercise as Yiaga Africa put the turnout of voters at below the 25 percent mark.

The executive director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, however, said the turnout was higher than the previous election which had 10 per cent turnout.

He commended the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) for passing some integrity tests but lamented the incidents of vote buying and the failure to arrest the culprits despite the heavy deployment of security operatives.

However, the election was largely peaceful; there were barely incidents of electoral violence recorded in the course of the election.

The Anambra State governor and candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the election,  Soludo, alleged a plot by one his opponents to “swap with the original results.”

Soludo made this claim to newsmen shortly after casting his vote at his polling unit 002 Ifiyi square, Isuofia in Aguata Ward 1, Aguata local government area.

He decried vote buying and selling during the election.

LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that 16 candidates contested the election which had 2,769,137 eligible voters.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) a total of 2,802,790 voters registered in the state, while 2,769,137 collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

The election was held in 5,718 polling units across the 21 local government areas of the state.

The new INEC chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, disclosed that  about 24,000 ad hoc staff would be deployed for the election.

At a stakeholders’ press conference in Abuja on Thursday evening, he stressed INEC’s zero-tolerance approach to the inducement of voters ahead of the Anambra election.

In the same vein, the Commissioner of Police in charge of election security in Anambra State, CP Abayomi Shogunle, on Thursday disclosed that the number of security personnel was increased from 45,000 to 55,000 officers.

 

Vote trading concerns

Party agents engaged in daring vote-buying in the course of the election. This trend was pervasive during the election as acknowledged by most candidates.

The state governor Soludo, while speaking with journalists after he cast his vote, said,”The reports we are getting is that one of the candidates who is desperate is buying votes for N15,000 and above in Nnewi local government.

“We also heard that they want to write results and bring them to swap with the original results during collation

“We are vigilant, we are following them up. About vote-buying, we are confident that once it is done, one man, one vote, we are going to win by a landslide,” Soludo insisted.

Similarly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Nicholas Ukachukwu, alleged vote buying and intimidation of his party’s agents.

Ukachukwu, who voted at his polling unit in Osumenyi Ward 2, Polling Unit 012, described the development as a threat to 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. 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 said after casting his vote.

Speaking further on reports of intimidation, Ukachukwu said one of his agents was assaulted during the voting exercise.

 

Obi votes, laments

Also former governor and Labour Party presidential candidate during the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, expressed concern over the deterioration of democratic values in the country.

Obi, in an interview with newsmen shortly after casting his vote in his polling unit 019 Amatutu Village, Agulu Ward 11, Anaocha local government, said: “Our democracy is deteriorating, and unfortunately, those who are benefiting from bad governance seem to be fueling it.

“I have been able to listen and move around to see what is happening, and it is bad that we still experience vote buying. Some one who is not employed collects N30,000 for his vote. That means you have sold your school, your hospital, your job opportunities and are selling away your future, and that is what is very worrisome about our democracy.”

 

Labour Party Candidate, Moghalu decries vote-buying

Also, the Labour Party candidate, George Moghalu, similarly decried the buying and selling of votes during the election.

Speaking with newsmen after he voted, he said, “We are having very disturbing reports from very many locations as to the issue of vote buying and it is sad and most unfortunate.

“The fact is that votes are being bought. And this is the situation all over the place. And it’s most unfortunate.”

He however said the voting process was not strenuous, noting that this experience is much better.

He added that because the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) worked, “ I didn’t waste much time,” adding that there has not been much complaining about glitches.

He said it would be hard to categorise the exercise as free and fair if vote buying remains an issue.

“If you monetise the process and weaponise poverty, I don’t know what is free and fair about the election,” he said.

Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial zone, Victor Umeh, also decried the  buying and selling of votes and urged the electorate to be committed to growing the country’s democracy.

He spoke to newsmen shortly after he and his wife cast their votes at about 2.17pm at his polling unit 19 Aguluzigbo Town Union secretariat, Aguluzigbo Ward 11, Anaocha local government area of the state.

 

AA candidate, Nweke, applauds turnout

On his part, the candidate of Action Alliance (AA), Ozo Jeff Nweke, commended the turnout of voters.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after casting his vote at his Ogbugbankwa polling unit, Awka, Awka-South local government area, Ozo Nweke said, “There is no voter apathy as we haven’t witnessed it as much as it was last time. People have turned en masse to experiment with their franchise,” he said.

 

CDD, KDI decry vote buying, voter apathy, security lapses

Civil society groups, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) and the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), also expressed concern over widespread vote buying, voter apathy, operational lapses, and security shortcomings that trailed Saturday’s Anambra governorship election.

In separate preliminary reports, the organisations said the exercise was marred by irregularities that called into question the credibility and transparency of the process.

CDD-West Africa, in a statement jointly signed by its director, Dr. Gauda Garuba, and the chairman of its Election Analysis Centre, Professor Victor Adetula, said its observers recorded several incidents of vote trading across the state, especially in the central and southern senatorial zones.

According to the group, party agents openly offered between ₦2,000 and N10,000 to voters depending on the area.

It added that such transactions were carried out in the full glare of electoral officials and security personnel.

The organisation reported that in Awka South, Nnewi North, Aguata, and Ekwusigo local government areas, voters were seen engaging in “vote-and-snap” behaviour , taking pictures of their marked ballots as proof before collecting payment. In some locations, the payments were made through mobile transfers instead of cash.

While noting that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) was deployed in all polling units observed, CDD said the device malfunctioned in some places, failing to capture fingerprints and facial data in parts of Anaocha, Idemili South, and Njikoka local government areas.

It also reported late commencement of voting in several locations due to the delayed arrival of INEC officials and the absence of security personnel, particularly in Onitsha North, Ogbaru, and Anambra East.

CDD-West Africa observed that despite the enthusiasm shown by young people during voter registration, turnout among youths on election day was visibly low, especially in urban centres such as Awka and Onitsha.

The group also cited isolated cases of violence, including a clash between party agents in Orumba North that led to ballot box destruction and suspension of voting, as well as incidents of voter intimidation in parts of Anambra South.

On inclusion, the organisation expressed worry over the limited accessibility of polling units for persons with disabilities, saying many lacked ramps, signage for the visually impaired, or priority voting arrangements.

Similarly, the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), which implemented the Nigeria Election Violence Education and Resolution (NEVR) Project with support from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and  Development Office (FCDO), said the election was characterised by vote trading, poor logistics, and security lapses.

KDI’s observers reported open display of marked ballots and movement of voters to “verification points,” where they received cash rewards ranging from N3,000 to N10,000 after confirming their votes for specific parties.

The group alleged that agents of major political parties, including the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), and Young Progressives Party (YPP), were involved in these activities.

It expressed concern over weak enforcement of electoral laws by security agents and INEC officials despite the reported deployment of about 65,000 security personnel for the poll.

“Field reports show uneven deployment of security operatives across polling units, with some locations having minimal or no visible presence,” KDI said, noting that urban areas like Awka and Aguata had better coverage compared to rural communities.

The organisation documented nine incidents of violence across the state, including voter intimidation, physical assault, ballot box snatching, and clashes among party supporters. These incidents were recorded in Ogbaru, Njikoka, Anambra East, Anaocha, Nnewi South, and Oyi local government areas.

KDI further reported that INEC officials and materials arrived late in about 32 per cent of polling units, while voting commenced after 8:45 a.m. in nearly half of them due to logistics and security delays.

However, it noted that the BVAS devices performed efficiently in 95.6 percent of polling units monitored, with only minor hitches recorded.

KDI urged all stakeholders,  including voters, political parties, security agencies, and INEC officials , to uphold peace and ensure that the final results reflect the genuine will of the electorate.

 

PVC Identifies Females As Males

Meanwhile, the election witnessed incidents of disenfranchisement particularly in areas where voters experienced technical and administrative challenges with their permanent voter’s cards (PVCs)

In Ward 2, Unit 011, in Onitsha north, at least five voters were unable to cast their ballots due to discrepancies in their voter information.

One of the affected persons, Ms. Dennis Asabe, was reportedly denied the right to vote after her PVC incorrectly identified her gender as male.

Four other voters faced similar registration-related problems, leaving them frustrated and unable to exercise their civic rights.

 

“I am not happy for my inability to exercise my franchise. I woke up early for this exercise but look at the time. I am still frustrated by this error. I don’t know where the error is from. It is unfortunate. INEC must improve on this if our democracy is to survive,” she stated.

 

Voter turnout and apathy

Meanwhile, there was low voter turnout, with only a fraction of registered voters participating in the exercise.

By 3pm, polling units with as many as 1,000 registered voters had recorded barely 100 ballots cast.

Despite the development, voters commended INEC for the conduct of the election from the start till coalition.

In Obi’s polling unit 019 Umudim Akasi, Agulu Ward 11, Anaocha local government area the voter turnout was impressive.

Voters said all the INEC processes were going on smoothly, and there was heavy security presence.

Mr. Anayo Okoye, a voter and chairman of the Amatutu Village Youth praised INEC, saying “They (INEC officials) came early, we have started voting, everyone is queuing up peacefully and the security people are not harassing.”

Similarly, other voters, Mrs Chioma Obiekwe and Mr. Uchenna Aniagbaso, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the accreditation and voting by the INEC officials.

Meanwhile, even though there was a huge turnout of voters at the polling unit located in the front gate of the Federal Science Technical College (FSTC), Awka, accreditation had not started there at about 10:02am.

When LEADERSHIP Sunday arrived at the location, agents of the APC, Mr. John Morah and his APGA counterpart, Mr. Chukwuma Anaekwe, expressed disappointment at the late commencement of accreditation at the polling station.

However, some of the voters insisted that they would remain until the INEC officials arrived so as to cast their votes.

Onitsha residents commend security presence 

Residents of Onitsha in Anambra State commended the visible security presence during yesterday’s governorship election in the state.

They noted that it provided a sense of safety amid fears of possible electoral violence or disruption by miscreants.

A voter, Madam Bridget Nkem, said the election atmosphere in Onitsha remained largely peaceful as of the time of filing this report, with no major incident of violence or unrest recorded.

She linked the high level of compliance with the movement restriction, especially as armed security personnel drawn from the military, police, and paramilitary agencies mounted heavy patrols across strategic locations in the city, including Upper Iweka, Awka Road, and Main Market axis, to ensure compliance and prevent any breach of peace

 

Anambra Guber Poll: Gunmen Kill Political Stalwart

Tragedy struck at Owerri-Ezukala in Orumba-South local government area during Saturday November 8 Anambra state governorship election as gunmen killed a political stalwart in the area.

LEADERSHIP Sunday learnt that the unfortunate incident happened in Owerre-Ezukala ward 1 where the victim went to cast his vote.

The assailant whose identity had not been ascertained as of the time of filing this report was said to have just stormed the voting centre, “shot a top person and left”.

The victim was said to be the councillor of Owerre Ezukala.

Meanwhile, when contacted, the public relations officer of the Anambra State police command (PPRO), superintendent of police, SP Tochukwu Ikenga said he was not aware of the incident.

“I don’t have a report of any incident like that”, Ikenga told LEADERSHIP Sunday.

He said that reports across the state showed that everywhere was rather peaceful and calm.