… as Soludo vows bigger achievements after re-election
…APC candidate alleges vote-buying
…Tinubu, APGA, Keyamo, Abiodun, others celebrate gov’s re-election victory
By Sodiq Adelakun
Opposition parties in Anambra State have rejected the outcome of the governorship election, despite the re-election of incumbent Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, who secured a decisive victory across all 21 local government areas of the state.
The election, conducted on November 8, 2025, was officially declared on November 9 by the State Returning Officer, Professor Edoma Omoregie, Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, at the Independent National Electoral Commission collation centre in Awka.
Governor Soludo, representing the All Progressives Grand Alliance, polled 422,664 votes, defeating Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress, who came second with 99,445 votes.
Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party secured 37,753 votes, while George Moghalu of the Labour Party received 10,576 votes. John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress obtained 8,208 votes, Jude Ezenwafor of the Peoples Democratic Party polled 1,401 votes, and Chioma Ifemeludike of the African Action Congress recorded 292 votes.
Despite the scale of Soludo’s victory, opposition candidates have openly criticised the conduct of the election.
ADC Candidate, John Nwosu described the poll as a “ruse and total subversion of the people’s will,” alleging widespread vote buying at polling units across the state.
He said that voters were openly induced with cash ranging from three thousand to twenty thousand naira, reducing the process to a marketplace rather than a genuine democratic exercise.
“This is a national embarrassment and a direct assault on the integrity of our democracy. It was a win bought with cash and a loss for democracy,” Nwosu said.
George Moghalu of the Labour Party similarly rejected the results, calling the election a “sham.”
He cited multiple irregularities, including underage voting and missing party logos on some ballot papers.
“Children who were not supposed to carry voter cards were openly seen with them and allowed to vote,” Moghalu said. He added that his party would examine reports from agents deployed across the state before determining its next course of action.
In the same vein, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress also dismissed the result, alleging that his supporters faced intimidation, violence, and abduction.
He noted that party agents tasked with distributing campaign funds were detained by unknown persons, with the money wrongly characterised as vote-buying funds.
“Some of my agents were abducted by our opponents and kept until after the election. At this point, we are still collating information from our agents and consulting with party stakeholders to decide on the next steps,” Ukachukwu stated.
He stressed that the 99,000 votes his party received were genuine expressions of support across Anambra.
Even candidates with modest votes underscored the value of integrity. Chioma Ifemeludike of the African Action Congress described herself as a winner despite polling only 292 votes.
She emphasised that her campaign, which attracted attention for its unconventional approach, was conducted without malpractice.
“Integrity stands firm and higher than political deception. I’m a winner,” Ifemeludike said, highlighting the importance of clean politics and principled participation, even in an environment dominated by larger parties.
The election was not without logistical challenges. Some polling units experienced delays in the arrival of INEC ad hoc staff and security personnel, while several Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices malfunctioned.
Voter turnout remained low, with 598,229 accredited voters out of more than 2.8 million registered, and a total of 595,298 votes cast, of which 584,054 were valid.
Professor Edoma Omoregie formally declared Soludo the winner, stating, “I hereby declare that Soludo Chukwuma Charles of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby returned elected.”
The opposition’s unified rejection of the results underscores a tense political atmosphere in Anambra State. With allegations of vote buying, intimidation, underage voting, and procedural irregularities dominating post-election discussions, several parties have indicated that legal challenges may follow.
Observers note that while Soludo’s victory is decisive in numbers, questions over the integrity of the process have cast a shadow over the election.
Meanwhile, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, following his decisive victory in the Anambra State gubernatorial election, has promised that the next four years of his administration will deliver even more transformative results for the state.
Speaking after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him winner with 422,664 votes, Soludo described the election as a clear affirmation of the people’s trust in his leadership.
“We applied for this job. You employed us four years ago. What I can say, as we stated throughout the campaign, is that you have not seen anything yet,” he said, echoing the popular American saying, “you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Soludo emphasized that the landslide victory, achieved alongside his deputy Onyeka Ibezim with 73 percent of the votes, demonstrates the electorate’s confidence in his administration and vision.
Highlighting the significance of the election, Soludo referred to it as “history made” and “a shattering of another glass ceiling,” underlining the growing political engagement in Anambra, as reflected by a record turnout of approximately 22 percent of registered voters.
The governor extended gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for ensuring a “free, fair, and transparent election” and lauded INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan for an effective electoral management on his first outing.
Soludo pledged to continue collaborating with all stakeholders religious, traditional, community leaders, and businesspersons — to fulfill the mandate entrusted to him.
“This is your very emphatic vote of confidence,” Soludo told the people of Anambra, promising that his government would work tirelessly to implement initiatives that improve lives and reinforce the state’s status as the “Light of the Nation.”
National and regional leaders, political parties, and prominent figures have rallied to congratulate Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo following his decisive re-election in the November 8 Anambra State governorship poll.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Soludo’s political platform, described his victory as “historic and resounding,” noting that he secured 73 percent of votes cast and won in 98 percent of the state’s 326 electoral wards.
In a statement signed by the party’s publicity secretary, Ejimofor Opara, APGA highlighted that the outcome reflected the confidence of Ndi Anambra in Soludo’s leadership, vision, and reforms.
The party also extended condolences over the reported killing of one of its members, Francis Ibe, and called for the prosecution of those responsible.
Also, Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, took to his official X handle to congratulate Soludo while commiserating with candidates who lost, including APC’s Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu. “We win some, we lose some,” Keyamo said, praising the peaceful conduct of the election.
Ogun State Governor and Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, Dapo Abiodun, commended Soludo’s victory, urging him to use the mandate to implement life-changing policies and unite all political tendencies in Anambra State.
“By uniting various political tendencies in the state, he will further consolidate on the dividends of democracy under his leadership,” Abiodun said in a statement signed by his media adviser, Kayode Akinmade.
Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru also congratulated Soludo, describing the re-election as an endorsement of the governor’s sterling performance in his first term.
Nwifuru emphasized the potential for deeper collaboration between Anambra and Ebonyi states to advance regional integration, economic transformation, and upliftment of the people.
