Anambra Poll: Lawmaker Urges Electorates to Shun Vote Buying and Vote Apathy
Hon. Jude Ifeanyichukwu Umennajiego
By Polycarp Ifeanyi, Onitsha
As the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State approaches, Hon. Jude Ifeanyichukwu Umennajiego, a member representing Onitsha South 2 in the Anambra State House of Assembly, has urged voters to reject vote buying and avoid voter apathy, warning of their serious consequences.
He stated that those who engage in vote buying or abstain from voting are depriving themselves of the opportunity to make decisions that will affect both their lives and those of their children in the future.
Hon. Umennajiego made these remarks during an interview with newsmen in Onitsha, at the ten-year anniversary celebration of Crystal Garden Estate held at Patterson Auditorium, All Saints Anglican Church, Onitsha.
He called on the people to come out en masse to cast their votes and resist any form of vote buying. He stressed that refusing to vote is equivalent to refusing to take control of one’s own destiny.
“Voter apathy stems from the mistaken belief that not voting will hurt someone else. In reality, it only harms the individual who abstains. They are depriving themselves of the chance to make decisions that will impact their lives and the lives of their children,” he noted.
He implored Ndi Anambra to participate fully in the upcoming gubernatorial election, which he said will determine the state’s future for the next four years.
“I advise the people not to sell their conscience in this November 8 gubernatorial election. The highest amount of money a politician can offer you is N50,000,000. But if you have a serious case of malaria, N50,000,000 cannot cure it. Ask yourself why politicians only give money every four years. If you accept that money, you will have to ‘consume’ it for the next four years—the period during which you make decisions that affect your family,” Hon. Umennajiego explained.
He further stated, “No one has the right to accuse a political leader of wrongdoing if they accepted money and voted for that leader. It simply means the leader bought your vote and is obligated to govern accordingly.”
“Electorates have two options: either reject the money and vote according to their conscience or accept the money as a Christmas bonus and still vote based on their conscience. Both options are acceptable and encouraged.”
The lawmaker addressed the importance of investing in landed property, commending the Chief Executive Officer of Crystal Garden Estate, Ambassador Kelvin Someon Chukwu, for providing people the opportunity to create wealth through real estate investment.
