As the November 8, 2025, date for the governorship election in Anambra state approaches, Governor Chukwuma Soludo has landed in a controversy after announcing a cash reward for every ward won by his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, in the forthcoming election.
Soludo, while speaking on Saturday during the party’s campaign rally in Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area, promised to give his party supporters N1m.
He said, “When we were campaigning for the Senate, we knew we were going to win every ward in the South Senatorial Zone, but we still had some incentives. Any ward that APGA won received N1m, and we won all the wards in Orumba South.
“We promised each of these wards N1m and next week, we will redeem it. The ward that comes first will get N5m, the second N3m and the third N2m. That was the deal. For November 8, any ward that wins again will receive N1m, while the first three performing wards will get N5m, N2m and N1m respectively.”
The pledge provoked backlash from opposition parties and civil society organisations, which described the move as open inducement and a gross violation of the Electoral Act.
About 2.8 million registered voters are expected to participate in the poll, in which 16 political parties and their candidates will contest the governorship seat.
The newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, had emphasised the significance of the Anambra election in consolidating the country’s democracy.
