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Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo wins all 21 LGAs with over 422,000 votes.
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Opposition parties reject outcome, citing bribery, violence, and electoral lapses.
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INEC confirms victory; legal challenges likely as tensions rise in Anambra.
Opposition parties in Anambra State have rejected the outcome of the governorship election, despite the re-election of 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 (INEC) collation centre in Awka.
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Governor Soludo, representing the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), polled 422,664 votes, defeating Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who came second with 99,445 votes. Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party followed with 37,753 votes, while George Moghalu of the Labour Party scored 10,576 votes. John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress got 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 Soludo’s sweeping win, opposition candidates have openly condemned the conduct of the election, describing it as flawed and compromised.
‘A marketplace, not an election’ — Nwosu
John Nwosu, the ADC candidate, labelled the election “a ruse and total subversion of the people’s will.” He alleged that widespread vote buying occurred in polling units, with voters induced with cash ranging from ₦3,000 to ₦20,000.
“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.
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Moghalu, Ukachukwu, others reject result
George Moghalu of the Labour Party described the election as a “sham,” citing cases of 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,” he claimed, adding that his party was reviewing field reports before determining its next steps.
Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of the APC alleged that his supporters were targeted, intimidated, and even abducted. “Some of my agents were seized and held until after the election. We’re still collating information and consulting stakeholders before deciding our next course of action,” he stated.
‘Integrity stands higher than deception’
For Chioma Ifemeludike of the AAC, who garnered only 292 votes, the focus was not on numbers but integrity. “I’m a winner because I contested cleanly. Integrity stands firm and higher than political deception,” she said.
INEC confirms Soludo’s victory
The collation centre recorded 598,229 accredited voters out of over 2.8 million registered, with 595,298 votes cast and 584,054 valid. Several polling units experienced late arrival of materials, malfunctioning BVAS devices, and low voter turnout.
Professor Omoregie declared:“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 has raised tension in Anambra’s post-election atmosphere. With allegations of bribery, intimidation, and procedural lapses dominating public discourse, observers say multiple parties may head to the election tribunal in the coming days.
