VICTOR UMEH WARNS AGAINST MANIPULATION, CALLS FOR TRANSPARENT UPLOAD OF ELECTION RESULTS
By Chidinma Olivia Patrick
Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, has called on voters to shun vote buying and ensure that their choices at the polls reflect their genuine will. Umeh made this appeal shortly after casting his vote alongside his wife in his hometown, Agulu, during the ongoing Anambra State Governorship Election.
Addressing journalists at his polling unit, Umeh described voting as a civic responsibility that every eligible citizen must take seriously. He noted that he had come with his wife to perform their civic duty peacefully, adding that the atmosphere at his polling center and across the state appeared calm and orderly.
The Senator, who has been a prominent figure in Anambra politics for over two decades, revealed that he deliberately chose not to take an active role in campaign activities for any candidate this time around. According to him, he had played significant roles in five previous governorship elections, those of Peter Obi in 2003 and 2010, Willie Obiano in 2013, Oseloka Obaze in 2017, and Charles Soludo in 2021, serving as the state collation agent in each of those contests.
He expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the election in his area, commending the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for their apparent readiness and professionalism. Umeh said reports from across the state indicated that the election was generally hitch-free, with fewer incidents of malfunctioning of the BVAS machines or security breaches compared to previous polls.
However, the Senator warned that electoral credibility must be maintained beyond the voting process. He cautioned against manipulation of results during collation, urging INEC to ensure that the final outcome truly reflects the people’s will.
Speaking further, Umeh condemned the act of vote buying, describing it as a major threat to Nigeria’s democracy and a self-inflicted injury by citizens who engage in it. He stressed that selling one’s vote means selling the right to complain about bad governance.
The Senator encouraged Nigerians to make it a culture to evaluate candidates objectively and vote based on competence and character, not monetary inducement. He also called on security operatives to monitor polling areas and arrest anyone involved in vote buying or election manipulation.
Umeh commended INEC for its promise to upload results on the IReV portal and urged the commission to avoid technical glitches or failures that could undermine the credibility of the process.
He concluded by praying for a peaceful and credible outcome, expressing optimism that the final results would reflect the true wishes of Anambra voters.
