Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has sparked controversy after pledging cash rewards to wards that deliver electoral victories for his party in the upcoming November 8 election, prompting criticism from opposition and civil society groups.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Umunze, Orumba South LGA, Soludo said, “Any ward that wins again will receive N1 million, while the first three performing wards will get N5 million, N2 million, and N1 million respectively.” He referenced past endorsements, noting that wards in Orumba South had previously been rewarded during Senate campaigns.
The announcement drew sharp response. Dr. Ijeomag Arodiogbu, National Vice Chairman of the APC South-East, condemned the move as “vote-buying and against the electoral law,” accusing Soludo of leveraging poverty to force votes.
Similarly, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC National Publicity Secretary, labelled the promise a “public confession of vote-buying” and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate.
In defence, Anambra’s Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, argued that the pledge was motivational, not illegal: “How does motivation for supporters amount to vote-buying? Vote-buying requires actual purchase of votes.”
The controversy underscores persistent challenges in Nigeria’s electoral landscape, particularly concerning inducements, governance ethics, and the need for stricter regulation of campaign conduct.
