Enugu voters induced with Jollof rice, Okpa – Ex-minister

The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in the March 18 governorship election in Enugu State, Chief Frank Nweke Jr, has rejected the result of the poll.

The Independent National Electoral Commission declared the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Peter Mbah, as the winner of the election and governor-elect.

Nweke, a former Minister of Information, who spoke at a press conference in Enugu on Friday, described the governorship and House of Assembly elections as an assault on democracy, insisting that they were not free, fair and credible.

He alleged that the election was characterized by violence, thuggery, intimidation, the use of divisive sentiments, and the weaponisation of poverty against the people.

 “In Nsukka, voters recorded and reported gunshots at polling units allegedly instigated by a political party.

“The most vulnerable and impoverished became prey to vote buying by some political parties with as little as N500 or packets of noodles in some places.

“At Udenu, parties competed for the votes of our people with N2,000, a plate of Jollof rice, Okpa, and a bottle of soda. I feel ashamed that this is what our people are worth to some who seek to lead them,” he was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria as saying.

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