Vote-buying, Thuggery in Anambra National Assembly Rerun

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

There is serious vote buying by leading political parties in the Ogbaru Federal Constituency supplementary election in Anambra State.

This is as three of the leading political parties in the election have also unleashed thugs in various parts of the local government, where the election is being conducted.

Many voting centres visited by our correspondent within the local government, witnessed huge influx of thugs, despite the massive deployment of security officials, including police, navy and army personnel.

At Manus primary school, Okpoko Ward 6, suspected thugs, said to be working for the PDP candidate in the election, swooped on journalists who were riding in a vehicle with government number plate, suspecting them to be agents of the ruling party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

Also, at Okpoko Ward 3, polling unit 004 at St Luke’s Anglican Church, agents of the the PDP and APGA were seen in their camps, where they were making payments to voters who voted for their parties.

A journalist, Mr Sunny David was mistaken for a voter by canvassers of the PDP, and was put on the queue for payment, after he agreed to enquiries from the agents that he voted for their party.

The leading candidates in the election and their political parties are: Hon Afam Ogene of LP, Chuchu Onyema of PDP and Hon Arinze Awogu of APGA.