Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The supplementary election for the Ogbaru Federal Constituency in Anambra State, Saturday, witnessed massive vote buying by representatives of various contesting political parties.
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.
Massive vote buying was recorded at many polling units in the area, most especially at Okpoko community, where the heavyweight politicians bought one vote to the tune of ₦10,000.
It was gathered that some voters smartly collected up to ₦50,000 each on a rotational basis for their individual votes.
Some of the residents of the community who spoke to this reporter under the condition of anonymity decried the act as illegal deal, while also calling for more security presence in the area to end the surreptitious and fraudulent act.
Meanwhile, the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who are to conduct and officiate the election, arrived voting centres with the voting materials after long hours of waiting by the electorate.
Visits to the various polling units across the Ogbaru area revealed that some of the registered voters who had exhausted their patience had gone home, while some who went home earlier had returned the second time, before the arrival of the electoral officials.
At Iyiowa Odekpe ward, the officials arrived at about 10:27am, against the 8.am scheduled time for commencement of the exercise.
A concerned citizen in the area, Chidi Okafor, told this reporter that the area had been taken over by the officials of the Department of State Services (DSS), who are on ground to ensure smooth conduct of the exercise.
He further hinted that some political thugs had been arrested in the area, following their threats and gallivanting to disrupt the election.
