The upcoming gubernatorial elections in Anambra state may be seriously compromised as plans to manipulate the electoral exercise have been concluded.
Fresh information made available to POLITICS NIGERIA indicates that a certain South-east Governor, currently in opposition, has doled out a hefty sum of $4 million (more than 2 billion Naira) to ensure that his favoured candidate takes the reigns of power in Anambra state come November 6th.
BACKGROUND
The people of Anambra state will be headed to the polls on November 6th to choose their next governor. Several prominent indigenes of the state are currently vying for the top spot with the Major contenders being Prof. Chukwuma Soludo (APGA), Senator Andy Uba (APC); Mr. Valentine Ozigbo (PDP), Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP)and Dr. Obiora Okonkwo (ZLP).
Over the past one month, the state has witnessed violence, high profile assassinations, arson and Kidnappings.Several power blocs in the region are keen on ensuring that their preferred candidate emerges Victorious.
Investigations by this paper, however, reveal that a serving South-East Governor, in an opposition party, who is so hell-bent on ensuring that his candidate wins, has shelled out $4 million (which has since been disbursed in tranches of $3 million and $1 million) to a commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
This commissioner, also from the South-East and has strong influence on logistics, in turn used the funds to ‘settle’ other key officers to ensure that the election goes the way of their preferred candidate.
A LOOMING ELECTORAL HEIST
Reliable sources under strict conditions of anonymity revealed to this paper that if things remain status quo, the winner of the election has already been decided.
“You see, a ranking opposition Governor in the South East zone of the country, has mobilised huge funds to the tune of 4million US dollars to compromise the governorship election in Anambra State slated for Saturday, November 6, 2021. ”
“In fact, an influential INEC National Commissioner is serving as a courier for the said desperate chief executive, who wants his candidate of to emerge victorious, by hook or crook. This South-east commissioner even shares some educational history with the Governor’s preferred candidate as they both attended an institution together”.
“The other commissioners and many EOs have also been compromised”.
To further demonstrate the seriousness attached to the scheme, the Wife of the said state chief executive is said to be majorly coordinating the ‘local’ aspects of the plan as she has been lobbying and holding ‘nocturnal’ meetings with some of the electoral officers.
Another source told POLITICS NIGERIA: “We are aware that a very powerful woman is also playing a fundamental role in this whole equation designed to compromise election at a time stakeholders are all unanimous on the need to sanitise the electoral process.”
However, highly placed security sources have disclosed that efforts are already in motion to block all attempts to compromise the keenly-contested electoral exercise.
“Rest assured that we will not allow the November 6 Anambra poll to be compromised.”
“At the appropriate time, we will take in those involved”.