The Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation (SAUGCO) has challenged Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, to speak up on the allegation of $4 million bribe to staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Uba, in the same vein, tasked security agencies of the federal government to name persons involved in the bribe.

The Uba campaign organisation said in a statement on Monday that it was sad that 48 hours after an alleged programmed bid to compromise the outcome of the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State was blown open, the suspects were still walking the streets free.

Expressing disappointment over the development in Awka, the state capital, its Director, Media and Publicity, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, called on the nation's security agencies to swiftly unravel those behind the sordid attempt to subvert the will of Ndi Anambra.

Recall that a national newspaper, had in its edition of Saturday, October 16, 2021, reported inter alia: “A Southeast governor and a top official of the Independent National Electoral Commission have run into trouble with security agencies over a princely sum of $4 million bribe doled out by the governor as bribe to compromise the November 6, gubernatorial election in Anambra State.”

The newspaper reportedly stated: “The evidence against the Governor's breach of his oath of office and public trust is strong but he is still protected under the immunity clause, but we will see what happens once his immunity elapses.”

Ogene therefore said “Since the scandal blew open, neither Governor Willy Obiano nor his Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C. Don Adinuba, has mustered the nerves to utter a single word in response, despite clear and unassailable indications that, indeed, the governor at the centre of the bribery saga is the Anambra State helmsman.

“Instead of coming clean on the allegations, as it affects it, the Obiano administration have rather chosen to divert attention, by engaging third parties and social media miscreants under its payroll to engage in a wild goose chase over who the alleged governor and his spouse are.

“Besides the $4 million bribe money, the newspaper report also made mention of 'the wife of the politician, who is described as an influential and powerful first lady in the Southeast(who) is reported to have been meeting secretly with many electoral officers, EOs, who are key to the forthcoming election.”

Ogene also alleged that the First Lady referred to in the said publication was the Wife of Anambra State Governor.

“We, therefore, call on our nation’s security agencies not to lend credence to current boasts within government circles in Awka, that the bribery saga would fizzle out in a matter of days.

“On our part, we call on the media, civil society organisations and anti-graft agencies to beam their searchlights on the burgeoning crisis which is capable of tainting the outcome of the Anambra governorship election, if not nipped in the bud,” Ogene added.

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