The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Charles Chukwuma Soludo, candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as the winner of the November 8, 2025 governorship election in Anambra State. According to the state collation officer, Prof. Edoba B. Omoregie, Soludo secured 422,664 valid votes, while his nearest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), garnered 99,445 votes.
Of the approximately 2.78 million registered voters, about 598,229 were accredited, and total valid votes stood at 584,054, with 11,244 rejected ballots. The returning officer noted that while election‐day skirmishes affected some units estimated at around 10,481 voters, the margin was sufficient to affirm Soludo’s victory.
However, the process did not pass without controversy. Allegations of vote-buying and inducements surfaced in the run-up to the poll. A widely reported incident found Soludo promising cash-incentives of ₦1 million to any ward won by APGA, with higher rewards for top-performing wards. The move drew sharp criticism from opposition and civil-society groups, who described it as overt voter‐inducement and a violation of the Electoral Act.
On election day, the APC candidate raised alarm over alleged vote-buying and intimidation of his agents. Meanwhile, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra State, Queen Elizabeth Agwu, denied that confirmed cases of vote-buying had been recorded, stating that no credible reports had been received.
Security incidents were reported as well. Shortly after the announcement of Soludo’s win, video evidence circulated showing policemen firing gunshots into the air at the governor’s country home in Isuofia, Aguata Local Government Area, an act observers said raised questions about security protocol and the appropriateness of the response.
Despite these issues, the electoral body upheld the results. The returning officer declared that Soludo met the legal requirement obtaining the highest number of votes and achieving a two-thirds spread across the 21 local government areas in the state.
Analysts caution that while the numerical outcome appears decisive, the integrity of the process remains under scrutiny. The presence of inducements, security tensions, and conflicting claims from contestants suggest that questions about fairness, competitiveness and the credibility of the result may linger. The state now turns to Soludo to deliver on the campaign promises amid heightened expectations.
