(DDM) — With just nine days left before the November 8 Anambra Governorship Election, fresh allegations of vote buying have emerged against the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and its leader, Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered during a street interview conducted across Awka, Onitsha, and Nnewi that several residents alleged that APGA agents have begun distributing ₦25,000 per voter in an attempt to secure electoral support ahead of the polls.
Multiple respondents claimed that the payments are being made quietly in communities loyal to the party, with some beneficiaries admitting they were asked to “mobilize five to ten others” in exchange for additional rewards.
A trader at Eke Awka market told DDM that the alleged payments were coordinated by “local ward representatives who claim the funds came from the governor’s campaign team.”
Another respondent in Nnewi South said, “They told us this is Soludo’s way of showing that APGA must retain power. If you collect the ₦25,000, you must promise to vote and bring others.”
However, efforts to reach Governor Soludo’s media office and APGA’s campaign directorate for comments were unsuccessful as of press time. Calls and text messages sent to official phone lines were not returned.
Political observers say the development, if verified, raises serious questions about the integrity of the forthcoming election and the effectiveness of Nigeria’s anti-vote-buying laws.
Analysts also warned that such financial inducements undermine democratic values and further weaken public trust in the electoral system.
Election monitors under the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM) have reportedly activated the VoteGuard App, a civic tech tool designed to track, document, and expose vote-buying incidents in real-time during the Anambra election.
The COPDEM VoteGuard App, available for Android devices, enables volunteers to upload live polling data and report irregularities directly from the field.
🔹 Download the COPDEM VoteGuard App:
Universal Link
ARM64 Version
ARMEABI Version
x86 Version
x86_64 Version
📘 User Guide: VoteGuard Official Guide (PDF)
DDM correspondents note that this year’s election has drawn significant attention due to high political tension, economic hardship, and public discontent with governance across the state.
Observers are urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to intensify monitoring and ensure offenders are prosecuted under Nigeria’s Electoral Act 2022.
Meanwhile, civic groups have called on voters to reject inducements and defend their right to a free and fair election, warning that “selling your vote is selling your future.”
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