May 19, (THEWILL) – The upcoming November 8, 2025 Governorship Election in Anambra State gave a fresh jolt to the candidates on Saturday when the Independent National Electoral Commission’s, INEC, released the personal particulars of all 16 contestants.
This followed the conclusion of party primaries and the submission of nomination forms by 16 political parties ahead of the 6:00 p.m. deadline on Monday, May 12, 2025.
According to the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, on Saturday, the documents were uploaded through its dedicated portal, which automatically closed at the deadlineLai
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“In line with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission has displayed the EC9 forms, academic credentials and other relevant documents of all candidates and their running mates at its state headquarters and the 21 local government offices in Anambra State.
“Following the conclusion of party primaries, sixteen (16) Political Parties have uploaded their candidates’ nomination forms for the Anambra State Governorship Election by the deadline of 6.00 pm on Monday, 12th May 2025, when the dedicated portal automatically shut down.
“As provided in Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 and listed as item 4 on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, the Commission has published the personal particulars of each candidate and his running mate by displaying copies of the Form EC9, along with all the accompanying academic credentials and other documents submitted by them, at our State Headquarters and the 21 Local Government offices across Anambra State,” the statement read in part.
The commission has called on members of the public to scrutinise the documents.
INEC also reminded aspirants who participated in the party primaries that they have the right to challenge any candidate’s nomination at the Federal High Court if they believe false information has been provided, as allowed under Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act.
The final list of candidates will be released on June 9, 2025, in accordance with Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act, which requires publication at least 150 days before the election.
“We appeal to Nigerians to scrutinise the documents. Any aspirant who participated in his/her party primaries with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by a candidate is false can challenge the nomination in a Federal High Court as provided in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022.
“The final list of candidates will be published on June 9, 2025 which is at least 150 days before the day of the election in line with the provision of Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and listed as item 7 on our Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election,” the statement added.
The Anambra State Governorship E oflection is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
In contention are 16 candidates, but in reality only five of them will make their mark.
They include incumbent governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, who emerged the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Dr George Moghalu who is the Labour Party candidate and Sir Paul Chukwuma resigned from the APC to clinch the ticket of the Young Progressive Party YPP. The fourth and fifth are Chief Jude Ezenwafor, who won the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and his All Progressives Congress, APC, counterpart Nicholas Ukachukwu.
Prof Soludo, emerged the candidate of APGA at the governorship primary election held yesterday at the Alex Ekwueme Square, in Awka, where he stood as a lone contestant.
Announcing the results, the returning officer for the election, Hon. Uche Nwegbo said: “Total number of delegates for this election is 3,260. 3,175 delegates are accredited, while the total number of votes is 3,172.”
Dr George Moghalu, defeated the only rival, John Chuma Nwosu, to emerge the candidate of the LP.
The LP candidate polled a total of 573 delegate votes to defeat Mr Nwosu, who got 19 votes in the hitch-free governorship primary election conducted in Awka, the state capital.
Moghalu, former National Auditor of APC and ex- managing director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), admitted that though contesting against the incumbent, Prof Soludo, will not be a tea party, defeating him is, however, possible.
The governorship candidate of the YPP, Sir Paul Chukwuma immediately nominated Chief Uzuegbunam Okagbue, the former Chief Protocol Officer and Deputy Chief of Staff to former Gov. Willie Obiano as his running mate.
Nicholas Ukachukwu, a former member of the House of Representatives, defeated his closest rival, Valentine Ozigbo, and other contenders by a landslide. Mr Ukachukwu polled 1,455 votes while Mr Ozigbo secured 67 votes.
In his victory speech, Mr Ukachukwu pledged to deliver the state to the APC.
“We shall deliver Anambra to the APC. One thing I want to say here — nobody has won the governorship of Anambra without my support; it has never happened before,” he said.
Abuja-based real estate developer, Chief Jude Ezenwafor, has emerged as the flag-bearer of the PDP for the upcoming November 8, 2025, Anambra State governorship election.
Ezenwafor, who was the sole aspirant of the PDP was unanimously endorsed by the 853 delegates from the 21 local government chapters of the party in the state at the party’s primary held at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka. Interestingly, he was the only aspirant who purchased the party’s N40 million nomination form for the governorship primary election.
Col. Chijioke Onwubuya (retd), declared Ezenwafor the winner of the primary After the unanimous endorsement by the 853 delegates from the 21 local government chapters of the party in the state at the party’s primary held at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka, on Tuesday.
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