Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in last Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu has dismissed the victory of the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, Prof Chukwuma Soludo in the election.
Briefing newsmen in Awka, the state capital, on Sunday, Ukachukwu said the election was riddled with intimidation, violence against his supporters, most of whom sustained injuries, lost homes and vehicles.
The candidate said he has started speaking with his supporters, and will also consult with party stakeholders and agents of his party across the state before making a categorical statement on his next move.
The APC flagbearer said, “We thank members of our team, they are all gallant soldiers, they are all winners in different ways, including those who were intimidated in many ways, their cars burnt, houses burnt, even my deputy who was intimidated into running for her dear life when they threatened her. All these people are winners.
“I called you here to tell you that we are speaking with our agents and collating information about what happened on that day, and we will talk when the time is right.
“Some of my agents were abducted by our opponents and kept until after the election, all these things are not worth talking about now. At this point we are still collating information both from our party agents and I have to consult my party to know what next.”
Ukachukwu alleged that his supporter was abducted and kept until after the election, and money meant for payment of party agents was termed vote buying money.
He said, “They arrested my supporter who was to pay our agents, saying he was carrying money meant for vote buying. Can I buy votes against a sitting governor who has the treasury of the state? The result of the election will show you who bought vote. If I bought vote, it would have reflected on the number of votes that I got.
“Go and check, all the people they arrested were APC people. Go and see the young lady whose house was burnt in Anambra East, her only crime is that she believed in our party and canvases for our victory.
“But for me to have 99,000 genuine votes is even unprecedented. Those are people who voted because Anambra must go forward. The number of votes I got is even enough to tell them that APC can no longer be ignored in Anambra.
“Those 99,000 people are the people who voted for us, they are part of those I will consult about our next move. Those are people who believe Anambra must be better. Our agents who we couldn’t pay because they kidnapped my supporter, yet they stood their ground and worked for us.
“Today, they cannot say that APC is not in existence in Anambra because 99,000 is not a small number.”
