Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Declares Chukwuma Charles Soludo Winner of the Anambra Governorship Election.
By: Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu – Democracy Newsline, 9 November 2025
The sun rose early on Saturday, 8 November 2025, across the crisp air of Anambra State. From the bustling markets of Awka to the quiet hamlets of Dunukofia, voters turned out to cast their ballots in the high-stakes governorship election. Months of campaigning, countless rallies and counter-rallies, and a palpable energy of change filled the air.
At the end of the day, the fight was between the incumbent governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the challenger, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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On Sunday, in a calm but momentous announcement, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, Vice-Chancellor of University of Benin (UNIBEN) and returning officer for the election, declared Soludo winner of a second term.
“The election was contested and a winner emerged, the candidate with the highest number of votes cast, and percentage have all been computed. I, therefore, declare that Soludo Charles Chukwuma, of APGA, having satisfied the requirements of the law, has scored the highest number of votes in this election, is hereby declared the winner, and return elected.”
According to official figures, Soludo polled 422,664 votes, while Ukachukwu trailed with 99,445 votes.
Soludo’s administration had, in the run-up to the election, placed considerable emphasis on infrastructure, youth empowerment and development-oriented messaging. His APGA has long held sway in Anambra, a state known for its electorate that prizes enterprise, education and political activism.
Ukachukwu and the APC challenged this dominance, arguing Anambra deserves fresh leadership, more transparency and stronger alignment with the federal government’s development agenda. Indeed, APC senior figures visited the state and made it clear they were contesting to “change the narrative” in the South-East.
While the exercise proceeded largely peacefully, several incidents of electoral malpractice were reported.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced the arrest of three individuals for alleged vote-buying during the polling. These were: Emeka Ilokasia (Njikoka LGA, Ward 2), Nwachukwu Loretta (Oyi LGA, Ward 2 (008), Awkuzu), and Emuka Chuwudi (Dunukofia LGA, Umunachi village). The arrests were said to follow intelligence and field surveillance operations.
