APGA Denies Vote-Buying Claim, Says Governor Only Promised Rewards

National Coordinator of the APGA Media Warriors Forum, Evangelist Chinedu Obigwe

The National Coordinator of the APGA Media Warriors Forum, Evangelist Chinedu Obigwe, on Tuesday dismissed allegations that Governor Chukwuma Soludo offered money for votes ahead of the November 8 Anambra gubernatorial election.

Obigwe described the story as a fabrication circulated by opposition elements who, he said, have already “read the handwriting on the wall” and are attempting to discredit the governor in the run-up to the poll.

According to Obigwe, Governor Soludo never promised cash in exchange for votes. Rather, the governor spoke about modest rewards for the top three performers in each of the state’s 21 local government areas , a scheme Obigwe characterized as intended to encourage healthy competition among APGA supporters.

“This is a baseless attempt at blackmail that will not save them on November 8. They will suffer the defeat that is already evident,” Obigwe said.

He argued that the Electoral Act 2022 distinguishes between unlawful voter inducement giving money to someone to secure their vote and non-criminal motivational rewards distributed after a contest.

“The Electoral Act criminalizes inducement to vote for a particular candidate, not legitimate post-election recognition for outstanding performance,” he said.

Obigwe said Governor Soludo is confident of victory because the administration’s achievements, he added, are visible to the electorate. He likened the governor’s accomplishments to a pregnancy that cannot be hidden, saying Soludo’s record is plainly evident to voters.

“If the opposition thinks they can halt this momentum with falsehoods, they are mistaken,” Obigwe concluded, reiterating that APGA remains focused on mobilizing voters and showcasing the administration’s performance