The African Democratic Congress candidate in the Anambra governorship election, John Nwosu, has rejected the result of the poll, insisting that the outcome did not represent the true decision of the electorate.
He described the process as a subversion of the people’s will and unworthy of a credible democratic exercise.
The Independent National Electoral Commission announced Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance as the winner of the election with a total of 422,664 votes. Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress emerged second with 99,445 votes, while Nwosu finished in fifth position with 8,208 votes.
In a statement issued after the results were declared, Nwosu faulted the conduct of the election and said it failed to reflect the genuine choice of voters. He alleged that vote buying was widespread across several polling units, claiming voters were induced with cash rewards. According to him, “voters were given between N3,000 and N20,000 just to influence their votes.”
He expressed displeasure that the exercise was turned into what he termed a commercial transaction rather than a democratic process. Nwosu described the development as a national embarrassment that undermined the credibility and integrity of the electoral system in Nigeria.
The ADC candidate stressed that an election can only be credible when it is free from manipulation, intimidation, and corruption. He added that any result obtained through inducement does not represent the true voice of the electorate and cannot be accepted as the will of the people.
Nwosu appreciated members of the African Democratic Congress and his supporters for their loyalty and resilience throughout the election period. He commended them for remaining committed despite what he described as pressures, intimidation, and inducement, while urging Nigerians to unite against the growing culture of electoral corruption for the sake of the nation’s democratic future.
