THIS DAWN — A political pundit, closely related to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has alleged that the landslide victory, credited to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) during the recently held Anambra State governorship election, was a fluke, over allegations of statutory votes manipulation.
The election saw the incumbent governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, declared winner.
The source made the revelation after a close scrutiny of the election results from the twenty-one Local Government Areas in the state, as well as the 326 Wards.
During an interview with This Dawn, he wondered whither went the other party’s statutory votes in APGA’s landslide victory.
Speaking, he raised numerous questions pertaining to the outcome of the election.
He asked: “In APGA’s landslide victory, where did the other party’s statutory votes go?
“At the minimum each registered party should garner 18,000 statutory votes from its officers, agents and canvassers.
“For ADC where did the statutory votes go?
“Where are 326 Wards executive votes?
“Where are 21 Local Government executive votes?”
Turning attention to the Polling Unit (PU) accredited agents with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INE), he asked:
“Where are the INEC 326 accredited agents votes:
“Where are all the support group votes?
“Does it mean they did not vote?”
Spurned statutory votes
The source proffered two things he supposed may have transpired.
He said: “Either they voted and their votes were scrubbed, or they were induced to vote for APGA.”
He urged: “Do the arithmetic yourself. The state has 326 Wards; each Ward has 55 statutory officials, as follows:
- One LGA Exco: 25 persons
- One Ward Exco: 10 persons
- 10 PU agents: 10 persons
- 10 Pu canvassers: 10 persons
- Total: 55 voters.
- 326 wards × 55 voters = 17,930 minimum statutory votes,” he cried.
In the meantime, other people including, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are working on the same issue.
According to reports available to this medium, operatives of the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Police have in custody in Abuja some people arrested with huge cash meant for vote buying.
Others were caught and arrested while actually buying the votes.
The source concluded by saying: “Soludo knows he has a problem.”
Another source disclosed that Soludo reached out to the ADC candidate, Mr. John Chukwuma Nwosu, a day after the election, but “they did not speak”.
According to him, Mr. Nwosu insisted that “we need to change this country. Everything is not about money.”
