iGovernor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has stirred political debate after promising cash rewards to local governments and wards that deliver the highest number of votes for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the upcoming November 8 governorship election.
Speaking during an APGA campaign rally in Anambra East Local Government Area, Soludo declared that the state government will reward performance with money, promising ₦10 million to the best-performing local governmentin terms of votes delivered to the ruling party.
According to the governor, the second and third best-performing local governments will receive ₦5 million and ₦3 million respectively, while any ward that wins for APGA will receive ₦1 million.
Soludo also reminded party faithful of his earlier pledge during the House of Assembly elections, where he promised ₦500,000 to each campaign chairman or ward that secured victory for APGA candidates.
“We are targeting to win all the polling units everywhere,” Soludo said. “At the last House of Assembly election, we promised ₦500,000 for each ward that won, and now we are calculating them. The mayors or campaign chairmen will receive the money for each ward that delivered victory.”
The governor continued,
“Anyone that wins their own ward in this election will get ₦1 million. For Anambra East, the local government that comes first will get ₦5 million, second ₦3 million, and third ₦2 million. For Anambra as a whole, the best local government among the 21 will receive ₦10 million.”
Political Reactions
The announcement has generated mixed reactions across the state. Supporters of APGA say Soludo’s incentive-driven approach is a form of motivation for grassroots mobilisation, while critics view it as vote buying in disguise, raising ethical and electoral concerns ahead of the polls.
Analysts note that the governor’s strategy mirrors a broader trend in Nigerian politics, where financial incentives are often used to secure political loyalty and voter turnout.
INEC guidelines explicitly prohibit monetary inducements tied to voting outcomes, and civil society groups are likely to scrutinise how such promises align with electoral laws.
Background
Soludo, a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, has been on a statewide campaign tour to consolidate APGA’s dominance in Anambra amid growing challenges from opposition parties such as the Labour Party (LP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The upcoming election will test APGA’s grassroots strength under Soludo’s leadership, especially as economic hardship and governance performance dominate political discourse in the state.
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Reporting by Emman Tochi in Lagos, Nigeria.
