A statement described the vote-buying allegation as "satanic, despicable and illogical".

Christian Aburime, the press secretary to Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, has debunked rumours making the rounds that his principal spent N3.5 billion in the 18 March House of Assembly election in the state.

Mr Aburime, in a statement issued in Awka on Monday, described the claim as "satanic, despicable and illogical" as N3.5 billion could not be disbursed at a time when the society was passing through a cash crunch.

He said Mr Soludo did not need to buy votes to win an election because he is "a democrat who enjoys the overwhelming support of the good people of Anambra State."

Mr Aburime said the "bogus claims by the authors are a figment of their imagination and should be disregarded by the general public."

"The allegation is further baseless against the background that it is coming at a time of acute shortage of cash due to the Federal Government's Naira Redesign Policy which sadly exposes the devilish intentions of the writer(s)," the statement said.

"Anambra people are advised to disregard the group which made the allegations as it had been known to be serial blackmailers over the years and do not serve any useful purpose to society.

"Governor Soludo does not need to buy votes to win an election, he is a democrat who enjoys the overwhelming support of the good people of Anambra State," he said.