Ogona Anita
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the ongoing Anambra State election, Nicholas Ukachukwu, has raised concerns over alleged vote buying and intimidation of his party agents during the voting process.
Ukachukwu, who cast his vote at Polling Unit 012, Osumenyi Ward 2 in Nnewi South Local Government Area, condemned the act of vote trading, saying it undermines the credibility of the electoral process and the conscience of the electorate.
He said, “If there’s no seller, there cannot be a buyer. Some people have chosen to sell their conscience. When you give up your right for money, you lose your voice as a citizen.”
The APC candidate also alleged that one of his party agents was assaulted at a polling centre, describing it as a clear case of intimidation. “This kind of bullying discourages party representatives from performing their duties and affects the transparency of the election,” he added.
Despite the reported incidents, Ukachukwu commended the general conduct of voters across the state, noting that the exercise had been largely peaceful with no major cases of violence or casualties recorded.
Meanwhile, movement across parts of Anambra was restricted as security officials cordoned off key routes such as the Niger Bridge in Onitsha to ensure smooth transportation of electoral materials. Voting continued across all 21 local government areas of the state as at the time of filing this report.
