There have been allegations that these crimes were sponsored by some unruly politicians to favour their candidates.
Some of the high-profile politicians in the South-East region have started spending big to manipulate the forthcoming Anambra State gubernatorial elections.
According to Politics Nigeria, among them is a serving South-East governor, “currently in the opposition, who reportedly paid $4million (roughly N1,640,000,000) to manipulate the elections to favour his candidate in the elections.”
On November 6, Anambra State residents will go to the polls to decide the next governor of the state.
Several prominent indigenes of the state are currently vying for the top spot with the major contenders being; Prof Chukwuma Soludo (All Progressives Grand Alliance), Senator Andy Uba (All Progressives Congress); Mr Valentine Ozigbo (Peoples Democratic Party), Ifeanyi Ubah (Young Peoples Party)and Dr Obiora Okonkwo (Zenith Labour Party).
In the past few weeks, the state has witnessed violence, murder, arson and Kidnappings.
There have been allegations that these crimes were sponsored by some unruly politicians to favour their candidates.
Investigations by Politics Nigeria, however, revealed that a serving South-East Governor, in an opposition party, who is so hell-bent on ensuring that his candidate wins, doled out $4million (which had since been disbursed in tranches of $3 million and $1 million) to a commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The commissioner who is also from the South-East and has a strong influence on logistics, in turn, allegedly used the funds to “settle” other key officers to ensure that the election goes the way of their preferred candidate.
“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 Southeast commissioner even shares some educational history with the Governor’s preferred candidate as they both attended an institution together.
“The other commissioners and many Electoral Officers have also been compromised,” a source revealed.
Another source alleged that the wife of the said state chief executive is said to be mainly coordinating the ‘local’ aspects of the plan as she has been lobbying and holding ‘nocturnal’ meetings with some of the electoral officers.
A source was quoted as saying: “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.”
Meanwhile, some security sources disclosed that they were aware and efforts were already in place to block all attempts to compromise the 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,” a top security official said.