The Anambra governorship election has taken a dramatic turn as Governor Chukwuma Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), accused an unnamed opposition party of engaging in large-scale vote buying during the November 8, 2025, polls. Speaking shortly after casting his vote at his Ofiyi Square Polling Unit 002 in Isuofia, Aguata Local Government Area, Soludo voiced strong optimism that he would emerge victorious if the electoral system works as intended under the Electoral Act and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.
In a report made by Punch, Governor Soludo, who is seeking re-election for a second term, emphasized that reports from various polling units indicate APGA’s dominance across the state. He asserted that the party was on course to win all 21 local government areas — a result he described as a testament to the people’s trust in his leadership. Despite this confidence, Soludo condemned attempts by rival political actors to undermine the process through financial inducements and manipulation of results.
According to Soludo, the Anambra governorship election had been largely peaceful, though not without hitches. He pointed out isolated cases of technical challenges with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in areas such as Olumbanasa in Anambra West, and disturbing reports of massive vote buying in Nnewi South. “Some reports reaching me show that certain parties are engaging in open vote buying, offering between ₦15,000 and ₦20,000 per voter. That is a dangerous threat to democracy,” he said.
The governor went on to accuse one of the candidates of making desperate attempts to subvert the electoral process. He alleged that the candidate was trying to bribe electoral officials to delay or block the uploading of results, intending to replace them later with doctored outcome sheets. Soludo reaffirmed that his confidence in victory remained strong if the electoral system works as designed, stressing that the people of Anambra had expressed their will and must not be shortchanged by manipulative tactics.
In a related development, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, also expressed concern over the widespread incidence of vote buying in the ongoing Anambra governorship election. Obi, who cast his vote earlier in the day at his Umudim/Akasi Ward in Anambra, decried the monetization of votes, saying that some voters were selling their conscience for between ₦20,000 and ₦30,000.
“My personal observation shows that democracy is deteriorating in Nigeria,” Obi lamented. “Sadly, those suffering the most from bad governance are the ones encouraging it by selling their votes. If you sell your vote for ₦30,000, what do you expect your leaders to deliver? You’ve sold your hospitals, schools, and job opportunities — that is the reality.”
On his expectations for the election, Obi stated that although he supports the Labour Party candidate, his primary hope is that the process remains fair and credible. “I’m not on the ballot this time,” he said. “All the candidates are my brothers and sisters. Whoever wins should serve the people of Anambra sincerely. I have moved beyond governorship politics — I’m in the national space now, and I wish all of them well.”
The Anambra governorship election continues to attract widespread attention across Nigeria, with observers and citizens urging INEC to uphold transparency and ensure that the people’s votes count.
Governor Soludo maintains that he is confident of victory if the electoral system works as expected, while civic groups stress that restoring faith in Nigeria’s democracy begins with free, fair, and credible elections.