Anambra Poll: Soludo Wins By Landslide

November 09, (THEWILL) — Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has won the Saturday governorship election with a landslide.

According to results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC at the early hours of Sunday, November 9, the governor, candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance won majority of the votes cast in all the 21 Local Government Areas, trail by Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. Barr. Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Mr Moghalu of the Labour Party made an appreciable showing. Others scored   between 0 and 200 votes. As at press time on Sunday morning when officials at the collation centre in Awka, the state capital, took a break, results of 18 out of 21 LGA had been collated and certified by INEC.

RESULTS COLLATED AND CERTIFIED BY INEC :

NJIKOKA LGA: APC- 5,687; APGA- 22,213; YPP-1661; LP-311.

AWKA NORTH: APC-3,661; APGA-15,895; YPP-815; LP-299.

AGUATA LGA: APC-4,125; APGA-35,559; YPP-301; LP-124.

ORUMBA SOUTH LGA: APC-2,828; APGA-19,819; YPP-2,135; LP-16.

ORUMBA NORTH: APC-2615; APGA-24667; YPP-1519; LP-131.

OYI LGA: APC-5,118; APGA-18,889; YPP-2073; LP-3,641.

AYAMELUM LGA: APC-7478; APGA-13,340; YPP-470; LP-117.

DUNUKAFIA LGA: APC- 3,284; APGA- 14,892; YPP- 2542; LP- 71.

NNEWI NORTH LGA: APC-5441; APGA-20320; YPP-553; LP 1,140.

NNEWI SOUTH LGA: APC-9181; APGA; 17286; YPP-562.

OGBARU NORTH LGA: APC- 2768; APGA- 22,803; YPP- 468; LP-347.

ONITSHA NORTH LGA: APC- 4677-APGA- 24,225; YPP-; 514; LP-500.

ONITSHA SOUTH LGA: APC-4156; APGA-15,742; YPP-638, LP-615.

ANAOCHA LGA: APC-5,956; APGA-20,188, YPP-255; LP-483.

IDEMILI NORTH: APC-6383; APGA-25,498; YPP-  LP-1,275.

EKWUSIGO LGA: APC-2973; APGA-18,749; YPP-915; LP-194.

AKWA SOUTH LGA: APC- 5038; APGA-27896; YPP- 1201; LP-520.

IDEMILI NORTH LGA: APC-6383; APGA-25,498; YPP- 613; LP-1278.

The election was contested by 16 candidates, including two females, from 16 political parties. The unofficial results, however, showed that only the governing All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and the APC made the desired impact with the voters.

Apart from Governor Soludo, Prince Ukachukwu, Chukwuma and Moghalu, other candidates are Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), George Moghalu of the Labour Party (LP), Echezona Oti of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Ms. Chioma Ifemeludike of the African Action Congress (AAC), Jeff Nweke of Action Alliance (AA), Charles Onyeze of Accord Party (AP), Geoff Onyejegbu of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Jude Ezenwafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Also, cleared for the election are Chukwudubem Nweke of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Jerry Okeke of the Boot Party (BP), Ndidi Olieh of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Martin Ugwoji of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Vincent Chukwurah of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Apart from the YPP, LP  and ADC candidates who have made a distant impression with scattered votes here and there, other parties scored zero.
INEC

The electoral umpire’s new chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has assured residents and stakeholders of INEC’s readiness for the poll, saying, “The commission, in collaboration with security and law enforcement agencies, has put comprehensive security measures in place to safeguard voters, INEC staff, observers and media personnel across all polling and collation centres.”

As the first governorship election since his appointment by President Bola Tinubu in October 2025, Prof. Amupitan has reaffirmed the commission’s readiness to deliver a credible, transparent and peaceful election.

The REC, Agwu maintained that the election was hitch-free because the Commission took proactive steps on matters of logistics and security seriously.

“INEC deployed material early enough and people came out in their numbers to vote,” she said, adding that any report about voter-turnout must await a statement from the Commission after it had collated and declared the final results.

The Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Awal Rasfajani and Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, Director, Centre for Democracy and Development gave thumbs up for INEC and the security agencies on the peaceful conduct of the poll.

Rasfajani said INEC had performed according to expectations with hardly any complaint about logistics and equipment failure.

“At the level of technology, BVAS worked well in all the polling units we covered, though we are still waiting for the final outcome of voting,” said Prof. Ibrahim.

BLAME GAME AND ALLEGATIONS OF VOTE-BUYING

As usual, candidates took turns to fault the process, alleging vote buying and threat to rig the results. Governor Soludo, who told journalists that he was satisfied with the turnout, considering the crowd that kept him waiting for about one hour before he could cast his vote at Polling Unit 002, Umuezeadigo Street, in his hometown, Isuofia in Aguata Local Government Area after accreditation, however maintained that a certain party he failed to name was planning to subvert the process.

Expressing confidence that he would win the election, the Governor said, “We have opponents but not opposition. The only thing we hear, which is of concern, is that there is a certain party that wants to swap results during coalition. We heard they are asking polling agents not to upload results so that they can carry out their plan. We will follow the process from the polling unit to the ward and local government collation centres to stop it.”

Speaking on reported cases of vote –buying the governor said he had received reports “ in one or two places in Nnewi South where we understand that there has been massive vote buying. Some voters are being paid as much as N15,000.”

He further said, “I have been getting several phone calls  across the state. I think it has been relatively peaceful and going smoothly. Though there are some glitches at polling units in Olumbanasa in Anambra West, where the BVAS reportedly did not work as expected, on the average, the election is going well.”

Soludo, however, expressed concern over reports of massive vote buying in Nnewi South.

In his reaction, Ukachukwu claimed, without evidence, that the governing party carried out vote buying in many polling units.

“If there’s no seller, there cannot be a buyer. Some people have chosen to sell their conscience, which is even worse than those buying votes. When you give up your right for money, you lose your voice as a citizen. You can’t cry later, society must be blamed for encouraging this,” he said, adding that he called some security agents in some of the local governments to register his observation.

Labour Party leader, Peter Obi confirmed that cases of vote buying was rife in many polling units across the state. Obi attributed the widespread vote buying and selling to bad governance.

Obi made the remarks on Saturday at Polling Unit 019, Agulu, in Anaocha Local Government Area after casting his vote.

He expressed concern over the scale of vote buying, which he said ranged between N15,000 and N30,000.

“It is sad that bad governance is fuelling vote buying and selling, “he said, adding, “For an unemployed youth who sells his vote for N30,000, what will he be paid next month when there is no election? By selling your vote, you are selling no school, no hospital, no jobs and selling away your future. This is worrisome.”

In her reaction, the REC, Agwu denied any knowledge of vote-buying and challenged those with evidence to provide it. She said vote-buying was a serious electoral offence and not a matter to be trivialised by making allegations in front of television cameras.

However, the Economic and Financial Commission, INEC, said it arrested suspects involved in vote-buying at different spots in the state.

According to the Commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the suspects were apprehended in different parts of the state by EFCC operatives monitoring the electoral process.

Those arrested include Emeka Ilokasia, nabbed at Ward 2 in Njikoka Local Government Area; Nwachukwu Loretta, arrested at Ward 2 (008), Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area; and Emuka Chukwudi, apprehended at Umunachi village in Dunukofia Local Government Area. He added that they would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

VOTER TURNOUT

The three senatorial districts with seven local governments apiece witnessed varying degrees of voter turn-out. Among them, Anambra South reportedly witnessed a large voter turn-out. The reason is clear. Incumbent Governor Soludo and his main rival for the APC, Ukachukwu, who is from Nnewi South Local Government, come from the same South constituency. Their political parties were said to have mobilised voters.

Mr Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, said the  turn-out of voters was generally low and did not meet the 25 per cent voter threshold, even though it was higher by 19 per cent during the 2021 poll. “What this means is that fewer voters will determine the majority. Even at the national level it is happening. It is troubling and we need to address it,” he said.

He said that election monitors under the platform of the European Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria, EU-SDGN, Project deployed 700 observers across the state, disclosing that though many voters conducted themselves in a way that conformed with democratic principles, the group’s preliminary observations showed there was low voter turn -out.

Executive Director of IPC, Mr Arogundade praised the media for an outstanding coverage and reportage in all the 21 local government areas of the state. He said that media reports were robust as both print, electronic and online publications interviewed the voters and candidates alike. He said, “Media presence ensures accountability by stakeholders. It is only through reports that people know what is going on and so the role of the media in the election cannot be underestimated.

SECURITY THREAT

Before voting, some civil society organisations like Yiaga Africa and Centre for Democracy and Development alongside the International Press Centre, IPC and Centre for Media and Society, CIMESO had raised concerns over intimidation and harassment by vigilante operatives under the Anambra State “Udo-Gaachi” initiative and identified security threats in part of that state, particularly in Orumba North, Orumba South, Ogbaru, Ihiala, Nnewi South and Aguata.

Both the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, warned stakeholders, candidates and voters that the authorities would deal decisively with anyone or group that tried to disrupt the poll or foment trouble before, during and after the election.

Ahead of the poll, the armed forces, notably the Nigerian Police Force, the Army, Airforce and paramilitary agencies were represented in full force. The Inspector- General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who gave assurance of adequate security as part of efforts to prevent violence during the election, approved the deployment of 45,000 policemen for the exercise. 15,000 others were drawn from the army, the air force and paramilitary agencies. The EU deployed 687 observers under the EU-SDGN programme.

In his after- election assessment of security measures for the election, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Coordinator of Police security in Anambra State, Abayomi Shogunle, said the security measure that ensured peaceful conduct on the poll was an outcome of an intentional plan. It took six months of strategic planning to get this result, he stated.

“We were able to identify those who would cause problems and remove them from circulation. The citizens knew this measure and felt assured of their security. It took the collaborative efforts of all agencies, including INEC,” he said.

Speaking in the same vein, Prof. Jibrin disclosed that though there were no notable cases of violence, there were cases of criminal activities perpetrated by politicians and some voters. He said voters were seen using phones while in polling booths, while some politicians engaged in vote buying.

He said, “There is a need for security agencies to take up such cases and prosecute them or else the deployment of 45,000 policemen for an off-season election in one state does not make sense in a situation where there are over 300,000 policemen that cannot go around the country during the general election.  Vote-buying and using the phone inside the polling booth is a criminal offense.”

Generally, the election was peaceful. To confirm  this, Rasfajani said, “The entire process was largely peaceful, according to reports that we gathered from parts of the state.”

THEWILL recalls that in March 2006, Anambra became a state where off-cycle elections would be conducted due to an Appeal Court judgement, which sacked the then governor, Chief Chris Ngige of the Peoples Democratic Party and ushered in Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, a few years after the 2003 general election. This development distorted the electoral timetable, thus making Anambra’s governorship poll to be held on a different date, separate from the general election.