The campaign organization of Dr. George Moghalu and Hon. Mrs. Ifeoma Okaro has issued a statement about the controversy which erupted after Governor Soludo reportedly boasted in Nanka about defeating the Labour Party and its governorship candidate at his polling unit, a claim the Moghalu-Okaro team says is both “misleading and deceptive.”
The statement, signed by Arch. Okey Chukwuogo, Director-General of the Moghalu Campaign Organization, described the by-election as a “cash bazaar of shame,” accusing the Soludo-led administration of converting the state treasury into a vote-buying machine.
The campaign team concluded by reiterating their commitment to “service, security, accountability, and people-first governance” and called on Ndi Anambra to prepare for what they termed a decisive showdown in the upcoming November 8, 2025, gubernatorial election.
PACESETTER reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially declared Chief Emma Nwachukwu and Mimi Azikiwe, both of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), winners of the Anambra South Senatorial District and Onitsha North 1 state constituency by-elections held on August 16, 2025.
The full Press Statement is reproduced below:
BY-ELECTION SHAME: ANAMBRA TREASURY TURNED INTO CASH BAZAAR
The Campaign Organization of Dr. George Moghalu and Hon. Mrs. Ifeoma Okaro notes with deep concern the boastful and misleading claims made by Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo in Nanka after Saturday’s by-election, where he arrogantly declared that Labour Party and its governorship candidate were “defeated” in his polling unit.
Ordinarily, such empty chest-thumping should be ignored. But silence breeds distortion, and Ndi Anambra deserve the truth, plain and clear.
The truth is this: Labour Party had no candidate in the by-election. INEC had already made it clear that Labour Party could not participate in the August 16, 2025 by-elections anywhere in the country not for House of Assembly and not for Senate. How then could Governor Soludo boast of “defeating” Labour Party? Was any Labour Party candidate published by INEC? Did anyone see Labour Party campaign or posters anywhere? Clearly, Soludo’s so-called victory is nothing but a stage-managed comic act designed to deceive the public.
Yet, even without participating in the election, Ndi Anambra still demonstrated overwhelming affection for Labour Party. In several polling units, voters openly demanded to vote for Labour Party despite its exclusion. This speaks louder than Soludo’s propaganda. It shows Labour Party is not just a political party, but the very heartbeat of Ndi Anambra —a people’s movement that cannot be silenced.
What played out on Saturday was not democracy but a bazaar of shame. The entire state watched as Anambra’s treasury was emptied to fund reckless vote buying, with reports of voters receiving up to ₦30,000 each. This rain of cash only proves one thing: APGA and its government have nothing to offer except desperation and deceit.
This by-election has become an eye-opener. A governor who chants “Solution is Here” could not win without sharing money. If indeed Soludo has performed, why did he need to squander billions to “prove” popularity? What credibility lies in a victory that was purchased, not earned?
Even worse, Governor Soludo now celebrates the “defeat” of a widow. Ndi Anambra must ask: what kind of leader spends billions just to humiliate a widow in an election? What kind of victory is this one without conscience?
And the bigger question: where is the security vote of Ndi Anambra? If billions can be released overnight to buy votes, why has Soludo failed to secure lives and property, fix our collapsing roads, revive hospitals, empower our youths with jobs, and restore hope in our communities? Why is there always money for vote buying but never money for governance?
Governor Soludo parades himself as a reformer and economist, but this election has exposed him as a reckless spender, a political trader, and a leader thriving on propaganda rather than performance. This is hypocrisy at its peak.
Let it be clear: Saturday’s by-election was no test of popularity. It was a one-sided drama because Labour Party did not participate. APGA should not deceive itself. November 8, 2025 will tell a different story because Labour Party has a sellable and capable governorship candidate. Ndi Anambra will speak decisively at the ballot box.
Dr. George Moghalu and Hon. Mrs. Ifeoma Okaro remain unwavering in their commitment to provide Ndi Anambra with leadership anchored on service, security, accountability, and people-first governance as captured in our Recovery Agenda. Unlike APGA’s Soludo, our mission is not to buy votes but to build lives. Ndi Anambra deserve leaders who invest resources to secure their future, not squander them for fleeting bragging rights.
The countdown to November has begun. Labour Party is alive. Labour Party is strong. Labour Party is unstoppable. Ndi Anambra, the time to reclaim our state is now.
Signed:
Arc. Okey Chukwuogo
DG, Dr. George Moghalu & Hon. Mrs. Ifeoma Okaro Campaign Organization