“There Was No 2025 Senatorial Bye-Election in Anambra South” – Barr. Peter Ekwueme

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) senatorial candidate for Anambra South, Barrister Peter Ekwueme, has strongly condemned the just-concluded senatorial bye-election in the district, describing the exercise as fraudulent and unworthy of being called an election.

In an exclusive statement made available to SK Blog on Saturday, August 16, 2025, the NNPP candidate insisted that what transpired across the senatorial zone was “a very violent systemic attack on the will of Ndi Anambra South,” accusing the ruling parties of massive vote-buying in the presence of regulatory and law enforcement agencies.

Ekwueme alleged that votes were openly purchased for as much as ₦20,000, a development he described as the “weaponization of people’s hunger and vulnerability.” He noted that such practices undermine democracy and deny citizens the chance to freely express their political will.

The Anambra-born lawyer stressed that while he had instructed his supporters not to engage in inducement, his opponents commodified the pains of the electorate. He urged those declared as winners not to celebrate, insisting that their so-called victory was stolen and would not stand the test of time in the people’s hearts.

Ekwueme, however, reassured his supporters of his commitment to pursue political reforms, including open accounting and an end to electoral corruption in Anambra South. He maintained that truth, though suppressed, would ultimately prevail.

Below is his full statement……

THERE WAS NO 2025 SENATORIAL BYE-ELECTION IN ANAMBRA SOUTH -BARR. PETER EKWUEME

To Ndi Anambra South, to Umunne m Ndi Oko, to my great team, to my great party and supporters, I must immensely thank everyone of you who has walked this valuable path with me. I deeply appreciate your support, your kindness and resilience. Together we have set a narrative of truth, sown a seed of light amidst intense darkness. We rose boldly, spoke the truth fiercely. We were heard, we were seen and our message delivered.

Today, what happened in Anambra South is not an election. What we witnessed in Anambra South today was a very violent systemic attack of the will of Ndi Anambra South marked by APGA and APC aggressively and openly negotiating and buying votes in bare stare of regulatory and law enforcement agencies.

It was deplorable as it is shocking! Today’s event has set a new record in our political history, that a single vote was bought for as high as Twenty Thousand Naira (N20,000). It’s a callous weaponization of our people’s hunger and vulnerability by monsters who lack empathy and credibility. Sadly, these elements struggling to grab power in the most insidious way possible can never offer Anambra South a selfless transparent political leadership, only further destruction and entrapment. Every right thinking Onye Anambra South knows this, even the members of their party. 

We must note that it’s inhuman, insensitive and most demonic to commodify the pain and suffering of your kin as was displayed by these elements today. There’s no glamour to it. If you stole a car, you stole it, you did not buy it. What is the point of an election if it doesn’t have the genuine free willed validation of the electorate? 

As helpless and vulnerable as Ndi Anambra South may be, they know the truth, it’s on their lips and their hearts. If they had a choice.. if they could, they would stick to their will. 

So to whoever, when you are declared a winner, do not celebrate. You stole from the people in a broad daylight and they saw you and they know you. It’s on your record and in our history. You have been marked by the people and you will be canceled whenever the people catch a break, and they will. Do not celebrate, for people do not like you, you never gave them a chance to. You are part of our problem and every single one of us knows it, including you.

Before today, the 16th of August 2025, I gladly had issued an instruction to my supporters and team to not tamper with the free will of Ndi Anambra South through cash or material inducement for vote because, I respect Ndi Anambra South too much to try to manipulate their will. It would be an insult to the great intelligent people of Anambra South. I do not regret my stance because the welfare and my respect for Ndi Anambra must remain more important than my self aggrandizement and shallow euphoria. I may have not been declared a winner but it’s ok because there was no election and our impact is far greater and more rewarding than this “win”.

To my Ndi Anambra South, I look forward to an Anambra South where our ballots will reflect our collective free will. 

With your support, I have fought a great battle for freedom and, with your support, I will continue until we bring Open Accounting reform and an end to the corruption and manipulation in our political system

Truth is powerful and it prevails.

Thank you Anambra South for the love you have shown me. I promise to be here always.

Daalu nu!🙏

Yours Truly,

Barr. Peter Ekwueme