ANAMBRA 2025, November 8: By resorting to lies, blackmail, opposition has read the handwriting on the wall - APGA

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By Madu Obi

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has dismissed the allegation by political opponents that Governor Chukwuma Soludo promised cash-for-votes, saying that they are concocting such lies because they have read the handwriting on the wall concerning the November 8 governorship poll.

National Coordinator of the APGA Media Warriors Forum, Chinedu Obigwe, in a statement, said the opponents were resorting to such blackmail in a desperate bid to score cheap political points.

Describing the allegation as a fabricated tissue of lies, he urged voters to ignore those seeking to distract the electorate.

According to him, Governor Soludo never instructed anyone to pay voters, but rather announced what APGA describes as a motivational reward for wards that perform well in the election — a scheme the party insists is not the same as inducement or vote buying.

He argued that the Electoral Act criminalizes voter inducement, but does not outlaw post-election motivational rewards, reiterating the governor’s confidence in a resounding victory based on his administration’s record of performance.

Obigwe said the exercise is meant to energize party faithful and reward grassroots mobilisation, but not to purchase votes.

His statement read: “Childish blackmail cannot save them on November 8. The opposition will suffer a decisive defeat because the governor’s achievements are a redevelopment that cannot be covered with bare hands.

The truth is that Anambra opposition elements have clearly read the handwriting on the wall. They have seen their defeat ahead of the forthcoming November 8th governorship election and resorted to the use of childish blackmail against Governor Soludo to score cheap political points.

Governor Soludo did not at any time promise cash for vote; rather, what the governor did was that he turned the November 8th governorship election to a healthy competition for APGA faithful in the 21 local government areas of Anambra State.

He promised a motivational reward for any ward that takes 1st , 2nd and 3rd positions in all the the local government in the state. He did not tell anybody that he will give them cash to vote for APGA.

The Electoral Act 2022 did not criminalize motivational reward after election. Rather the Electoral act criminalized voters inducement which is, giving someone money to vote for you.

Governor Soludo is confident of clinching a well deserved victory in the November 8th governorship election because of his administration's achievements in the state.

The governor has done marvellously well in the state and his good works can as well be likened to a 9 months old pregnancy that cannot be covered with bare hands."