By Okoye Chuka Peter
The Centre for Human Rights Advocacy & Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS) expresses deep alarm and outrage over the public statement reportedly made by His Excellency, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, Governor of Anambra State, in which he pledged significant cash rewards to any ward that “gives” its votes to him.
This open promise of monetary reward, widely reported in national media, constitutes a brazen attempt to purchase the electoral will of citizens. It strikes at the very heart of Nigeria’s fragile democracy and violates both the letter and spirit of our electoral laws.
Such conduct is not only morally reprehensible but manifestly unlawful. The Electoral Act 2022, alongside other criminal statutes governing bribery and corrupt practices, makes it an offence to offer, promise, or pay money to influence how citizens vote. The Act and the INEC Guidelines on Electoral Offences explicitly prohibit any act of inducement or vote-buying that undermines free, fair, and credible elections.
Accordingly, CEHRAWS calls on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently and publicly investigate this incident and take appropriate enforcement action.
Beyond the clear electoral breach, the Governor’s statement raises grave concerns regarding potential misuse of public funds and abuse of executive power. Should the pledged funds be drawn from the public purse, the act would amount to an abuse of office and a probable contravention of extant fiscal and anti-corruption laws, including the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act and the Finance (Control & Management) Act, which regulate the lawful application of public monies.
CEHRAWS therefore urges the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other anti-corruption bodies to immediately determine whether public funds are being, or intended to be, used to finance this act of vote-buying, and to prosecute offenders where evidence supports such violation.
“This is governance rascality dressed as political mobilisation,” CEHRAWS asserts. “A governor’s office exists to steward public resources for the common good, not to commodify citizens’ votes or convert public monies into campaign instruments.”
If genuine, this pledge displays fiscal recklessness and contempt for the rule of law. Civil society cannot stand idly by while public officials openly invite voters to trade their franchise for cash.
CEHRAWS’ DEMANDS
1. IMMEDIATE PUBLIC CLARIFICATION AND RETRACTION:
Governor Soludo must publicly retract the pledge, clarify the source of the promised funds (private or public), and affirm that no state resources will be used for electoral inducement.
2. PROMPT INEC INVESTIGATION:
INEC must commence immediate administrative and/or criminal proceedings for violations of the Electoral Act 2022 and related regulations.
3. ANTI-CORRUPTION PROBE:
The ICPC (and where appropriate, the EFCC) should urgently probe the pledge to determine whether it amounts to a corrupt solicitation or misuse of public funds.
4. FORENSIC AUDIT OF IMPLICATED FUNDS:
Should any public monies be linked to this scheme, CEHRAWS demands an immediate forensic audit, recovery of misapplied funds, and prosecution of those responsible.
5. PUBLIC EDUCATION AND MONITORING:
INEC, ICPC, and civil society groups must intensify voter education and field monitoring, particularly in Orumba North and South LGAs and other at-risk communities, to deter vote-buying and document any inducement attempts.
LEGAL BASIS
• Electoral Act 2022: Prohibits bribery, offers, or promises intended to influence votes and prescribes penalties.
• INEC Electoral Offences Guidelines: Outline the civil and criminal consequences of vote-buying and electoral inducement.
• Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act: Proscribes corrupt offers by public officers and empowers the ICPC to investigate and prosecute offenders.
• Finance (Control & Management) Act: Governs the lawful appropriation and use of public funds; misuse of the Consolidated Revenue Fund offends constitutional and fiscal norms.
OUR POSITION
CEHRAWS will not remain passive. The organisation will lodge formal complaints with INEC and the ICPC, provide any verified evidence to investigators, and, where necessary, seek judicial intervention to prevent the perversion of the people’s will.
We call on all civil society organisations, political parties committed to democracy, and citizens of Anambra State to unite in condemning this attempt to monetise electoral participation.
Democracy is not for sale.
CEHRAWS remains resolute in defending the sanctity of the franchise, the rule of law, and the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy. We will monitor developments closely and publish further updates as investigations proceed.
Okoye, Chuka Peter Is The
Executive Director, CEHRAWS
