The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the November 8 Anambra State election, Mr. John Chuma Nwosu, has rejected the outcome of the poll, alleging that the declared winner and incumbent Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, engaged in widespread vote buying through agents who paid voters between ₦3,000 and ₦20,000.
Speaking at a post-election press conference on Sunday, Nwosu described the exercise as “a national embarrassment,” lamenting that many polling units across the state turned into “marketplaces rather than democratic arenas.
“I, John Chuma Nwosu (JCN), the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), hereby categorically reject the outcome of the just-concluded gubernatorial election in Anambra State. True victory is judged not by the outcome, but by the integrity of the process,” he declared.
Nwosu alleged that the election was marred by massive vote buying and what he described as shameless financial inducement at polling units, insisting that by every account, the people have not spoken.
He, however, declined to state whether he would be approaching the court or election tribunal for redress.
According to him, the entire process was riddled with corruption, manipulation, and vote trading, which in his view, failed to reflect the genuine will of the electorate.
“Our mission has never been about winning at all costs. It has been about redefining governance and building a new Anambra anchored on values, transparency, elimination of corruption, and a secure state driven by the innovative use of technology. This struggle continues. We will not surrender. We will not be silent. Our movement will keep pressing until the people of Anambra can freely choose their leaders without fear or inducement,” he stated.
Nwosu also condemned what he called the failure of relevant institutions to protect the sanctity of the ballot, arguing that any system that fails to uphold fairness loses the moral right to declare winners.
“The conscience of our democracy has been wounded. 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 added.
He commended his supporters for standing firm against financial inducement, describing them as men and women who chose honour over compromise and “resisted deceit in defence of integrity and truth.”
