African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, John Nwosu, has rejected the outcome of Saturday’s Anambra governorship election, describing it as a “ruse and total subversion of the people’s will”.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) the winner of the poll on Sunday, with 422,664 votes.
Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) finished second with 99,445 votes, while Nwosu placed fifth with 8,208 votes.
In a statement issued after the election, Nwosu alleged that widespread vote buying marred the entire exercise.
“In almost every polling unit, voters were openly induced with cash ranging from ₦3,000 to ₦20,000, turning the entire process into a marketplace rather than a democratic exercise.
“This is a national embarrassment and a direct assault on the integrity of our democracy; it was a win bought with cash and a loss for democracy,” he said.
Nwosu emphasised that “true victory is judged not by the outcome but by the integrity of the process”.
“An election riddled with corruption, manipulation, and vote trading cannot and will never represent the voice of the people,” he said.
The ADC candidate also called for an end to the “culture of electoral corruption” if Nigeria truly desired a prosperous and just society.
Nwosu said the “conscience of our democracy had been wounded” and warned that when votes are bought, the future is sold.
“What we witnessed was not the expression of choice, but the glaring triumph of desperation and greed over the principles of justice and fairness,” he said.
The politician also expressed gratitude to members of his party and campaign team for standing firm in the face of “intimidation and inducement.”
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