AWKA, NIGERIA — The African Democratic Congress (ADC), one of the prominent parties in the Anambra State gubernatorial contest, has publicly faulted the outcome of the recent election, citing widespread and brazen vote-buying that they claim compromised the integrity of the entire process.¹

The party’s governorship candidate, John Nwosu, and other high-ranking ADC officials have led the charge, accusing the ruling party and other major contenders of using financial inducement to sway the electorate.²

💰 ADC Candidate Cites Direct Observation

The ADC's strong reaction follows the declaration of the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). According to reports, the candidate, John Nwosu, spoke out immediately after casting his vote in Nnewi North Local Government Area.³

• Accusation of Ruling Party: Nwosu specifically accused the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), led by the incumbent Governor, of mobilizing significant resources to offer voters cash incentives at polling units.⁴

• Undermining Democracy: The ADC asserts that this practice effectively disenfranchised legitimate voters and ensured that the results reflected financial power rather than the true will of the people.⁵

• Call for Scrutiny: The party has called on electoral bodies and anti-graft agencies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to thoroughly investigate the widely reported incidents of vote monetization.

"What we witnessed was not a free and fair election; it was an auction. The core of democracy is voter choice, but when voters are paid off openly in front of security agents, that choice is destroyed," a senior ADC party official reportedly stated.⁶

📢 Broader Allegations of Malpractice

The ADC is not alone in raising these alarms. Reports from election observers, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and other political parties during the poll indicated:

• Cash-for-Votes: Multiple sources confirmed instances of party agents strategically positioned near polling booths, offering varying sums of money (often reported to be in the thousands of Naira) to voters.⁷

• Security Complicity: There were allegations that some security personnel and electoral officials failed to intervene effectively to halt the overt vote-buying activities.

• Historical Trend: Analysts and academics have noted that the issue of money politics and vote-buying has unfortunately become a prominent feature in Anambra's electoral history, with the 2021 gubernatorial election also facing intense scrutiny over similar practices.⁸

The ADC's formal rejection of the results based on these irregularities suggests a potential legal challenge, which could lead to an electoral petition seeking to overturn the outcome.