APC candidate stormed polling units with thugs, police to beat voters — Soludo alleges

• Soludo accused APC candidate of allegedly moving with thugs and police to attack voters and disrupt the bye-election process.
• The governor stressed his commissioner cried in pain after being assaulted by suspected political thugs during the senatorial poll.

The governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, has alleged that his commissioner for environment, Felix Odimegwu, was assaulted during Saturday’s senatorial bye-election.

Soludo made the claim shortly after casting his vote at polling unit 002, Ofiyi Square, Isuofia ward, in Aguata Local Government Area.

He said he had received a report from the field that the incident took place at Ezinifite, in Nnewi South Local Government Area.

“Just in the last few minutes, I got a terrible report from Nnewi South,” the governor was quoted as saying.

He alleged that political opponents resorted to violence out of desperation.

“The news is not palatable but predictable because when you see you are losing, you begin to unleash violence to disrupt the electoral process,” he said.

According to him, Odimegwu was left in pain after being beaten by thugs allegedly escorted by police officers.

“My commissioner was in pains and crying that the APC governorship candidate in Anambra took truckload of police and thugs and was going from one polling unit to another beating up people, including the commissioner,” Soludo said.

“That is shocking but not unexpected. That is what you do when you are desperate. I understand they are losing even in his ward.”

The governor insisted that voters must be allowed to freely exercise their franchise without intimidation.

“Let the people vote and let their vote count. That is what we are asking. But we are confident that at the end of the day, the people’s will must prevail,” he added.

Soludo, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for its conduct of the exercise across the state.

“I’m glad that so far, the process has been seamless,” he said.

“From reports I have gotten from around the state – Anambra South and Onitsha – it has been relatively peaceful.”

“I’m impressed that people came out to exercise their civic duties of voting for candidates of their choice. This is democracy in action.”

The bye-election was conducted to fill the vacancy created by the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in July 2024.

Vote counting had commenced in several polling units as of press time.