The candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the recent Anambra State governorship election, Chioma Ifemeludike, has broken her silence on why she has refused to congratulate Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo following his re-election victory.
Questioning the Electoral Process
In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng correspondent on Saturday, November 15, 2025, during a luncheon she organized in Awka, Ifemeludike stated that congratulating Soludo would go against her political principles and conscience. She maintained that the election process that returned Soludo to office was fundamentally flawed and lacked credibility.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Soludo winner of the November 8, 2025 governorship election with 422,664 votes, while Ifemeludike garnered 292 votes, placing 11th in the race. Despite this outcome, and unlike other candidates including the Action Alliance's Ozo Jeff Nweke and APC's deputy governorship candidate Senator Uche Lilian Ekwunife who congratulated the governor, the AAC candidate stood her ground.
Massive Vote-Buying Allegations
Ifemeludike pointed to what she described as massive vote-buying during the election, questioning the source of the funds and the interests behind such financial investments in the electoral process.
"The 2025 Anambra governorship election that ushered in Soludo into office for a second term was not credible. It was largely marred by massive vote buying, and that is unacceptable," she stated emphatically.
She expressed concern about the implications of such financial influence in politics, noting that the amount spent on vote-buying could have developed social infrastructure across all 21 local government areas of the state.
"I will be a hypocrite to stand here congratulating Soludo when I know what has been done to ensure his victory. I'm not interested in his appointments, if that is what those congratulating her stand to gain," she added, distancing herself from potential political appointments.
Reflections on Voter Behavior and Consequences
The AAC candidate described witnessing firsthand how voters negotiated and collected money before casting their ballots, comparing the situation to "a child celebrating and making merry on the day of its mother's burial." She expressed disappointment that many voters seemed unaware of the long-term consequences of their actions.
Despite her strong reservations about the electoral process, Ifemeludike clarified that she would not challenge the results in court, explaining that she doesn't consider herself a direct victim of the flawed process. Instead, she believes the people of Anambra who participated in vote-selling are the true aggrieved parties who will ultimately bear the consequences.
During the luncheon event, Ifemeludike took time to express gratitude to her supporters who stood by her throughout the campaign period despite her limited financial resources. She encouraged them to remain committed to the pursuit of good governance, emphasizing that when citizens unite for this cause, no political tactics can divert them from the right path.
The event featured refreshments and gift presentations to particularly dedicated supporters who demonstrated exceptional loyalty during the electioneering period, marking a bittersweet conclusion to her gubernatorial campaign journey.
