By Abiola Olawale
Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has ignited a fierce nationwide debate following an announcement promising a cash reward for every ward won by his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in the upcoming November 8 governorship election.
The governor, a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, made the pledge public during a campaign rally on Saturday.
While his supporters view the move as a strategic way to motivate party loyalists and appreciate their grassroots efforts, critics across the political spectrum have swiftly condemned it as a subtle form of vote-buying and a violation of the Electoral Act.
While speaking on Saturday during the party’s campaign rally in Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area, Soludo promised to give his party supporters N1m.
He said: “When we were campaigning for the Senate, we knew we were going to win every ward in the South Senatorial Zone, but we still had some incentives. Any ward that APGA won received N1m, and we won all the wards in Orumba South.
“We promised each of these wards N1m and next week, we will redeem it. The ward that comes first will get N5m, the second N3m, and the third N2m. That was the deal. For November 8, any ward that wins again will receive N1m, while the first three performing wards will get N5m, N2m, and N1m respectively.”
However, the cash reward pledge has begun to generate a barrage of reactions from Nigerians.
The National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the South-East, Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu has reacted, claiming that Soludo’s action amounted to vote-buying and abuse of office.
“Clearly, this is vote-buying and against the electoral law. Soludo has been carrying out undemocratic activities in this election. He has been forcing communities to commit their votes through their leaders.
“The N1m offer is just one of many. We will write to INEC, EFCC, police, and other relevant security agencies about his actions,” Arodiogbu said.
Also, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in his reaction called on INEC to act on the development, describing Soludo’s promise as “a public confession of vote-buying.”
The Labour Party also criticised the governor, accusing him of weaponising poverty.
“This is not good for democracy. Why is he giving out money now that elections are near? This is vote-buying and manipulation. He has failed in governance and now wants to buy legitimacy with money. We will raise this matter at the next stakeholders’ meeting with INEC,” LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said.
A former Zonal Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mike Ahumibe, also faulted the development, saying it undermined electoral integrity.
He said, “Once there is money involved, it is no longer free and fair. Elections should be about the people’s choice, not about who can pay the most.”
The Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership and rights activist, Debo Adeniran, said Soludo’s action had institutionalised vote-buying and monetised the electoral process in the state.
Adeniran said, “This is reprehensible. The governor of a state should be a shining example of good behaviour. Vote-buying is an electoral crime for which the governor could be tried once he relinquishes his immunity. It is a way of instigating the people against the law.
“What he has done amounts to electoral indiscipline and a criminal act. The authorities should stop him. INEC, under Amupitan, should take exceptional notice of it and apply the appropriate section of the law to discipline the governor. His immunity doesn’t cover electoral offences.”
However, the Anambra State government has clarified the governor’s promises, maintaining that the cash reward is an “act of motivation”.
The Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor, dismissed the accusations of vote-buying, describing the governor’s promise as a simple act of motivation to energise supporters.
Mefor stated: “How does motivation for supporters amount to vote-buying? I don’t see how this amounts to the selling and buying of votes, even if it’s true.
“Vote-buying, in my view, is the act of purchasing votes. A vote must be priced and bought; that’s vote-buying. So, how many votes has Soludo purchased by such a promise?
“Though I didn’t hear the governor say it, I don’t see anything wrong with a leader motivating his supporters. We have two forms of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic motivation is material reward, which could be monetary.”
