Vote Buying Mar Anambra Governorship Election Despite EFCC Presence

Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrived in Anambra State on Saturday as voters headed to the polls to elect a new governor.

it was gathered that EFCC operatives were seen at Community Primary School in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area, monitoring the voting process and working to prevent cases of vote buying.

However, in another part of the state, our reporter Charles Opurum captured a different scene in a video recorded at Central School Utuh, where a woman was seen entering the voting cubicle with a party agent — an action that violates election guidelines.

In the video, the party agent was heard asking in Igbo, “Ego ole?” meaning “How much?” Soon after, the INEC officials confronted him for entering the restricted area.

The agent defended himself, claiming the voter had requested his help, insisting he had the right to follow her.

“She is the one who asked me to accompany her to show her, and I have every right to follow her,” he thundered at the INEC officials.

The incident sparked outrage among other voters and party agents present, leading to a brief disruption of the voting process.

Election observer Dimma Nwobi from the Situation Room also raised concerns about widespread vote buying in the area.

“We came from Nwewi North, and nothing is happening there, although the place has five wards and 13 polling units.

“We left there around 8:15 AM, and INEC and police officials were still waiting to be transported to their polling units.

“This place is unique because we saw that party machineries were collecting people’s cards, INEC will give them forms to vote, and they give the forms back to party machineries, who will drop them in the ballot box. They are actually buying votes, negotiating. It is sad.

“One party agent there, who is very angry at the situation, has been shouting at the INEC official”, she said.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a total of 2,802,790 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots across 5,718 polling units in Anambra’s 21 local government areas.

The governorship election is taking place across three senatorial districts, with sixteen candidates in the race.

Key contenders include the incumbent, Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), George Moghalu of the Labour Party (LP), and Jude Ezenwafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

KanyiDaily recalls that Anambra governorship hopeful, Dr. George Moghalu, was caught on camera learning tips from media personality, Geh Geh, on how to build popularity