Anambra – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports of widespread vote-buying during the just-concluded Anambra governorship election, describing the allegations as unfounded and lacking credible evidence.
INEC officials said that despite several viral videos and social media claims alleging the exchange of money at polling units, no formal complaint or verifiable proof has been submitted to the Commission.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that INEC maintained its stance during a post-election briefing in Awka on Sunday, stressing that the exercise was generally peaceful, transparent, and credible across all 21 local government areas of the state.
According to the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Queen Nwankwo, the Commission deployed multiple monitoring teams and collaborated with security agencies to ensure compliance with electoral guidelines.
She noted that any isolated incidents reported would be investigated in accordance with the law, but so far, no substantial evidence has emerged to validate claims of large-scale vote buying.
Dr. Nwankwo stated, “We take allegations of electoral malpractice seriously.
However, we cannot act based on hearsay or social media speculation. Until verifiable evidence is presented, such rumours remain unsubstantiated.”
Meanwhile, INEC has officially declared the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, as the winner of the election after he secured a decisive victory across the state.
Soludo, the incumbent governor, polled a total of 422,664 votes, defeating his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 99,445 votes.
The Labour Party’s candidate, George Moghalu, finished third with 10,352 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Ugochukwu Uba, recorded 7,201 votes.
Announcing the final results at the INEC collation centre in Awka, the Returning Officer, Professor Florence Obi, described the election as a reflection of the people’s will.
She said, “Having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes, I hereby declare Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance the winner of the 2025 Anambra governorship election.”
Observers from the EU, Yiaga Africa, and other accredited groups also commended the smooth deployment of technology, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which enhanced transparency and reduced incidents of manipulation.
However, civil society groups, including the Anambra Election Observation Hub, have called for improved oversight to curb voter inducement and ensure greater accountability in future elections.
Governor Soludo, in his victory speech, thanked Ndi Anambra for their continued trust, pledging to consolidate ongoing reforms in education, infrastructure, and security.
He said, “This victory belongs to every son and daughter of Anambra. Together, we will continue building the homeland of our dreams.”
INEC reiterated that the official results are available on its IReV portal, assuring citizens that all uploaded data remain secure and verifiable.