The senatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the Anambra South by-election, Donald Amamgbo, has rejected the outcome of the poll conducted on Saturday, August 16, describing it as a “carefully orchestrated charade” that undermined the people’s will.
Speaking at a press conference in Awka on Tuesday, Amamgbo accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of collusion and systemic sabotage. According to him, the exercise was designed to “obfuscate, suffocate and decimate the people’s voice and choice,” thereby threatening the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy.
In the official results announced by the Returning Officer, Prof. Frank Ojiako, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Emmanuel Nwachukwu, was declared winner with 90,408 votes. He defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Azuka Okwuosa, who polled 19,847 votes, while Amamgbo of the ADC finished third with 2,889 votes.
Amamgbo expressed disappointment, insisting that elections are meant to reflect the people’s mandate but were instead manipulated to silence genuine voices. He alleged that on the eve of the election, INEC officials deliberately withheld accreditation tags meant for ADC ward and local government collation agents, thereby crippling his party’s ability to protect its votes.
“The answer is the infantile attempt to disillusion and debase ADC, the primary opposition party in Nigeria,” he said.
Amamgbo stressed that his struggle is not a personal one, but a fight to restore faith in the ballot and safeguard Nigeria’s democratic future.
“I will continue to stand with the people, to speak for the voiceless, and to resist every attempt to reduce our democracy to an empty ritual,” he declared. “Anambra South deserves better. Nigeria deserves better. And until we achieve that, I will not stop speaking.”
