Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has been re-elected for a second term after winning by a landslide in the November 8 Anambra State governorship election, reaffirming the strength of incumbency in Nigeria’s politics.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winner after he secured 422,664 votes, defeating his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the APC, who garnered 99,445 votes. Paul Chukwuma of the YPP came third with 37,753 votes, while other candidates trailed far behind.
INEC’s Returning Officer, Professor Omoregie Edoba, announced the results at the state collation centre in Awka, confirming that Soludo met all legal requirements to be declared winner. Jubilations erupted in Soludo’s hometown of Isuofia following the announcement.
The election, contested by sixteen political parties, was largely peaceful but marred by reports of vote-buying and low voter turnout. Security agencies had deployed over 45,000 officers across the state to maintain order.
Tinubu Congratulates Soludo
President Bola Tinubu congratulated Governor Soludo, describing his victory as an affirmation of his visionary leadership and commitment to development in Anambra State. Tinubu praised INEC for conducting what observers described as a credible election and urged Soludo to be magnanimous in victory.
NGF, Abiodun, and Ngige React
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), led by AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, also congratulated Soludo, noting that his wide margin of victory reflected the people’s confidence in his leadership. Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun commended Soludo’s performance and urged him to use his renewed mandate to unite Anambra for greater progress.
Former governor and ex-minister Chris Ngige congratulated Soludo and urged him to focus on improving security and welfare, describing his victory as a referendum on his performance since taking office.
ADC Rejects Results, Alleges Vote-Buying
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), however, rejected the election outcome, describing it as “cash-and-carry democracy.” The party’s spokesperson, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, accused APGA of widespread vote-buying and criticized the silence of security agencies and INEC officials.
He warned that if such practices continue, Nigeria’s 2027 general elections could face a credibility crisis.
Governor Soludo, who first assumed office in March 2022, thanked the people of Anambra for their support and vowed to consolidate on his achievements in security, infrastructure, and governance during his next four years in office.
