All eyes are on Anambra State as voters head to the polls on Saturday to elect their next governor. The contest will determine whether incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) retains power or if the electorate opts for a new leader from another political party.
According to political analysts, eight local government areas with the highest number of registered voters are expected to shape the outcome of the tightly contested election.
Idemili North tops the list with 246,318 registered voters, followed by Awka South with 217,611. Ogbaru ranks third with 188,016, while Onitsha North trails closely with 183,647.
Others include Onitsha South, a densely populated area with 168,575 voters; Ihiala, affected by recent security challenges, with 156,715 voters; and Aguata, the home LGA of Governor Soludo, with 155,881. Anambra West and Dunukofia have the lowest voter counts, at 71,332 and 83,580, respectively.
Aguata ranks eighth in voter population, while Anaocha—home of Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi—has 124,075 voters. Nnewi North, the base of LP’s governorship candidate George Moghalu, has 166,400 voters, while Nnewi South, the home of APC’s Nicholas Ukachukwu, has 102,907.
For Obi and Senator Uche Ekwunife, who once represented the Anaocha, Njikoka, and Dunukofia Federal Constituency, the race will be intriguing, as those three LGAs collectively account for 326,655 registered voters.
In Anambra North, YPP candidate Sir Paul Chukwuma and Labour Party’s Senator Tony Nwoye are seen as strong influencers. Anambra East, where both hail from, has 110,482 voters, while Ayamelum, Anambra West, and Oyi record 96,947, 71,332, and 120,717 voters respectively.
With voter strength concentrated across these strategic local government areas, Saturday’s election is set to test the grassroots influence, organisational capacity, and popularity of each candidate across Anambra State.
