10K VS 5K: CASH HANDOUTS SPARK CONTROVERSY IN ANAMBRA BY-ELECTION

What started as a routine by-election in Onitsha North 1 has quickly escalated into a political showdown between Governor Chukwuma Soludo and Mr. Peter Obi, each eager to prove influence ahead of the November governorship poll.

Soludo, through APGA, is using the election as a chance to showcase his strength, while the ADC—boosted by Peter Obi’s endorsement of its candidate, a widow—is testing its relevance on home soil.

The real drama, however, lies in the alleged cash-for-votes saga. Reports from Omagba and Osuma wards revealed that APGA agents were offering ₦10,000 to secure votes, while ADC operatives distributed ₦5,000 per voter.

Eyewitnesses confirmed that the practice was openly carried out without fear.

One observer, Ikechukwu Orji, noted that the election remained peaceful but that “party agents are freely sharing money to canvass support.”

Another source, who declined to be named, insisted that the financial backing could only have come from Soludo and Obi, arguing that the candidates themselves could not foot such expenses.

The by-election, once dismissed as low-key, has now become a litmus test of power, popularity, and influence between two of Anambra’s most prominent political figure

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