Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has stirred controversy after promising cash rewards to members of his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), for every ward the party wins in the upcoming November 8 governorship election.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area, Soludo pledged ₦1 million to each ward that delivers victory for APGA, with ₦5 million, ₦3 million, and ₦2 million set aside for the top three performing wards.
The announcement drew sharp criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups, who accused the governor of vote-buying and breaching the Electoral Act.
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) all condemned the move, saying Soludo was using public funds to influence voters.
Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, described the pledge as “reprehensible,” urging INEC, the police, and the EFCC to investigate.
Similarly, former Inter-Party Advisory Council Chairman, Yabagi Sani, said the governor’s action could undermine public trust in the electoral process and set a bad precedent for democracy.
Election monitoring group YIAGA Africa also warned that such financial incentives distort voter choice and exploit poverty among citizens.
However, Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, defended the governor, saying the cash pledge was merely a motivational gesture and not an attempt to buy votes.
Meanwhile, INEC has confirmed plans to deploy over 22,000 ad hoc staff across 5,720 polling units in the state for the election. The commission also said the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) is ongoing, though the process has faced low turnout and slow progress in some areas.
