Anambra – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports of widespread vote-buying during the just-concluded Anambra governorship election, describing the allegations as unfounded and lacking credible evidence.

INEC officials said that despite several viral videos and social media claims alleging the exchange of money at polling units, no formal complaint or verifiable proof has been submitted to the Commission.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that INEC maintained its stance during a post-election briefing in Awka on Sunday, stressing that the exercise was generally peaceful, transparent, and credible across all 21 local government areas of the state.

According to the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Queen Nwankwo, the Commission deployed multiple monitoring teams and collaborated with security agencies to ensure compliance with electoral guidelines.

She noted that any isolated incidents reported would be investigated in accordance with the law, but so far, no substantial evidence has emerged to validate claims of large-scale vote buying.

Dr. Nwankwo stated, “We take allegations of electoral malpractice seriously.

However, we cannot act based on hearsay or social media speculation. Until verifiable evidence is presented, such rumours remain unsubstantiated.”

Meanwhile, INEC has officially declared the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, as the winner of the election after he secured a decisive victory across the state.

Soludo, the incumbent governor, polled a total of 422,664 votes, defeating his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 99,445 votes.

The Labour Party’s candidate, George Moghalu, finished third with 10,352 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Ugochukwu Uba, recorded 7,201 votes.

Announcing the final results at the INEC collation centre in Awka, the Returning Officer, Professor Florence Obi, described the election as a reflection of the people’s will.

She said, “Having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes, I hereby declare Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance the winner of the 2025 Anambra governorship election.”

Observers from the EU, Yiaga Africa, and other accredited groups also commended the smooth deployment of technology, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which enhanced transparency and reduced incidents of manipulation.

However, civil society groups, including the Anambra Election Observation Hub, have called for improved oversight to curb voter inducement and ensure greater accountability in future elections.

Governor Soludo, in his victory speech, thanked Ndi Anambra for their continued trust, pledging to consolidate ongoing reforms in education, infrastructure, and security.

He said, “This victory belongs to every son and daughter of Anambra. Together, we will continue building the homeland of our dreams.”

INEC reiterated that the official results are available on its IReV portal, assuring citizens that all uploaded data remain secure and verifiable.

(DDM) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), as the official winner of the Anambra State governorship election.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Soludo, who is the incumbent governor, secured a sweeping victory across the state’s 21 local government areas after polling a total of 422,664 votes.

The announcement was made at the INEC State Collation Centre in Awka after an intense counting and verification process that lasted several hours into the early morning.

Professor Nnenna Oti, the Returning Officer for the election, confirmed Soludo’s re-election and urged all political stakeholders to accept the outcome as a reflection of the people’s will.

Soludo’s closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), trailed far behind with 99,445 votes, while other contenders, including candidates of the Labour Party (LP), the Young Progressives Party (YPP), and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), failed to make substantial impacts.

The election, which was conducted in 5,720 polling units across the state, witnessed a mix of high voter enthusiasm in urban centres and lower participation in some rural communities.

Despite the late arrival of INEC officials and reported malfunctions of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in several polling units, the process was described as largely peaceful by local and international observers.

Soludo, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), won convincingly across all three senatorial zones, consolidating APGA’s long-standing dominance in Anambra’s political landscape.

In his home local government, Aguata, Soludo polled 35,559 votes, while the APC candidate managed 4,125, demonstrating the governor’s strong grassroots influence in the area.

In Dunukofia LGA, APGA recorded 14,892 votes, ahead of APC’s 3,284, while in Awka North, the margin widened further with APGA polling 15,895 votes compared to APC’s 3,661.

Results from Njikoka LGA also favored Soludo, with 22,213 votes against APC’s 5,687, and in Nnewi South, APGA secured 17,286 votes to defeat APC’s 9,281.

In Nnewi North, considered one of the key battlegrounds, Soludo continued his dominance, polling 20,320 votes against 5,441 for APC.

The figures from Anambra West LGA further widened the gap, with Soludo receiving an astonishing 71,365 votes while APC got 16,595, a difference of over 54,000 votes.

Across urban centres like Onitsha North and Onitsha South, APGA maintained comfortable leads, polling 24,225 and 15,742 votes respectively, while APC lagged behind with 4,677 and 4,156 votes.

Observers noted that Soludo’s victory was the result of a strong grassroots network, the structure of APGA across communities, and his administration’s focus on infrastructure, education, and rural development.

Political analysts say the governor’s early investments in youth empowerment and public sector reforms resonated with the electorate, who saw continuity as essential to stability.

Many voters told DDM correspondents that Soludo’s efforts to improve road networks and revive key economic hubs in Awka and Onitsha contributed to their decision to return him for a second term.

However, the election was not without controversy, as some parties accused INEC of poor logistics and delayed deployment of materials in parts of Anambra South and Central.

INEC officials have since acknowledged isolated operational challenges but insisted the integrity of the results was not compromised.

Security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, Civil Defence Corps, and the military, maintained heavy presence across the state to deter violence and ensure peaceful conduct.

In several polling units, particularly in Ihiala and Ogbaru LGAs, voters stayed beyond official hours to ensure their votes were counted.

By Sunday night, early projections already placed Soludo in a comfortable lead, prompting celebrations in several communities before the official declaration.

When INEC finally announced the result, supporters poured into the streets of Awka, Nnewi, and Ekwulobia, chanting songs of victory and waving APGA flags.

In his victory message, Governor Soludo thanked the people of Anambra for their overwhelming support and promised to continue delivering transparent and people-centred governance.

He called on all his opponents to join hands in building a prosperous and peaceful Anambra, emphasizing that governance was about service, not rivalry.

The APC candidate, Nicholas Ukachukwu, has yet to make an official statement, but his party sources hinted at possible legal consultations.

Meanwhile, civil society groups have urged INEC to publish detailed polling unit results on the IReV portal to ensure transparency and public trust.

Observers from the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and Yiaga Africa commended the peaceful nature of the process, though they criticized INEC for the slow collation and logistical lapses.

The final collation marked another milestone in Anambra’s political history, with APGA maintaining an unbroken winning streak since 2006 when Peter Obi first brought the party into power.

Analysts believe Soludo’s re-election will further solidify APGA’s control in the South-East and possibly position him as a key voice in regional politics.

As Anambra celebrates its continuity of leadership, attention now turns to the expectations of performance in Soludo’s second term, where challenges in infrastructure, education, and economic diversification await his administration.

INEC has confirmed that the certificate of return will be issued to Soludo in the coming days, officially sealing his second tenure as Governor of Anambra State.

(DDM) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the adjournment of the ongoing collation of results from the Anambra State governorship election.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the decision was made late on Saturday night after several hours of result collation from the 21 local government areas.

The commission said the process would resume at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday to allow officials to reconcile discrepancies and verify results uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

According to the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, the adjournment was necessary to maintain transparency, accuracy, and credibility in the final declaration of results.

Observers from the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and Yiaga Africa described the collation process as largely peaceful but noted delays due to logistics and technical challenges in result transmission.

Reports from multiple collation centres showed that results from several local governments had already been submitted, while others were still en route from distant areas affected by transportation and communication issues.

As of the time of adjournment, the Labour Party (LP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) were in a close contest across several polling units, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) trailed behind.

Political analysts believe the overnight break will allow INEC to resolve inconsistencies between manual result sheets and data uploaded through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

INEC officials also reaffirmed their commitment to a transparent and credible electoral process, urging citizens and party agents to remain patient as collation continues.

Security around the Anambra State Collation Centre in Awka has been tightened, with heavily armed police and DSS operatives stationed to prevent any disruption.

The Anambra election, which has been marked by pockets of BVAS glitches, reports of vote buying, and logistical lapses, remains one of the most closely watched contests in Nigeria’s Southeast political landscape.

INEC is expected to announce the final results later today once the resumed session concludes and all local government figures are verified.