BREAKING: Soludo Clinches Landslide Victory in Anambra Governorship Election

The candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chukwuma Soludo, has won the Anambra State governorship election in a decisive landslide, securing 422,664 votes.

Professor Edoba Omorege, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin and the Returning Officer for the election, officially declared Soludo the winner after collating results from all 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

According to the electoral body, the election had 2,788,864 registered voters, with 598,228 accredited. A total of 584,054 valid votes were cast, while 11,244 votes were rejected, making the total votes cast 595,298.

Soludo’s closest challenger, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), garnered 99,445 votes, while the Labour Party’s George Moghalu scored 10,576 votes. Other candidates recorded the following: ADC – 8,208; PDP – 1,401; YPP – 37,753; AAC – 292; AA – 1,145.

The election was marred by isolated incidents of ballot snatching and overvoting. In Bridge Head 2, Onitsha South LGA, votes could not be recorded due to ballot snatching. Results were also cancelled in Nri, Anaocha LGA, and two polling units in Anambra West LGA due to overvoting and violence.

Several parties, including APC, LP, and APGA, raised concerns over alleged vote buying in some areas. The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) reported party agents offering cash and food items in multiple locations, including Achalla, Igbariam, Utuh, and Ezira. The CJID noted that these practices highlight underlying issues such as poverty, voter desperation, and weak enforcement of electoral laws.

However, Anambra Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Queen Elizabeth Agwu, dismissed the allegations, urging parties and individuals to provide concrete evidence. She emphasized that vote buying is a serious offence and any claims must be backed by facts.

Below is a snapshot of the results across selected LGAs:

Dunukofia LGA – APGA: 14,892; APC: 3,284; LP: 71; ADC: 232; PDP: 16

Njikoka LGA – APGA: 22,213; APC: 5,687; LP: 311; ADC: 236; PDP: 47

Awka North LGA – APGA: 15,895; APC: 3,661; LP: 299; ADC: 815; PDP: 203

Aguata LGA – APGA: 35,559; APC: 4,125; LP: 124; ADC: 301; PDP: 82

(Full breakdown across all LGAs is available from INEC.)

Voting in the November 8 Anambra governorship election involved 16 candidates across the state’s 21 LGAs. Despite reports of irregularities, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed that the overall process was largely peaceful.

Olayinka Babatunde