George Moghalu blames vote buying in Anambra election for his defeat at his polling unit. The Labour Party’s governorship candidate said he refused to participate in the practice because he could not match the money other candidates offered voters.
Speaking on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, Moghalu admitted that his decision cost him votes.
“Yes, because I couldn’t afford how much that was being paid. I couldn’t pay, and I refused to pay, I refused to get involved,” Moghalu said.
He added that financial hardship made many voters accept cash from rival candidates.
“So, they have too much money to buy votes, and what do you expect my people to do? They fell because a lot of them are poor,” he said.
Moghalu accused the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the ruling party in Anambra, of spearheading the alleged vote buying. He claimed that some party agents wearing APGA tags were caught purchasing votes and even arrested.
“Some of them are on record as having been seen purchasing votes. There’s even a commissioner who was also caught on camera buying votes in my particular constituency,” Moghalu alleged.
The Labour Party candidate insisted that the Anambra election did not reflect the people’s will. He maintained that he would have won if the process had been free, fair, and free from vote buying.
According to results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Charles Soludo of APGA was re-elected for a second term after winning all 21 local government areas.
Soludo secured 422,664 votes, while Nicholas Ukachukwu of the APC came second with 99,445 votes. Paul Chukwuma of the YPP got 37,753 votes, John Nwosu of the ADC had 8,208 votes, George Moghalu of the LP earned 10,576 votes, and Jude Ezenwafor of the PDP received 1,401 votes.
Soludo becomes only the third governor in Anambra’s history to win a second term.
