The candidates of Nigeria’s major political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and African Democratic Congress (ADC), have publicly rejected the results of the November 8, 2025, Anambra State governorship election.
Diaspora Digital Media reported that Governor Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was declared the winner with 422,664 votes by Professor Edogah Omoregie, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin and INEC Returning Officer.
APC’s Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu came second with 99,445 votes, while ADC’s John Nwosu scored 8,208 votes, and LP’s Dr George Moghalu also disputed the outcome.
Prince Ukachukwu described the election as “marred with violence and vote buying.” He recounted incidents of attacks on party supporters, including the burning of a female supporter’s home in Anambra East Local Government Area. Despite the challenges, he noted that no deaths occurred among his supporters during the polls.
John Nwosu of the ADC described the election as a “national embarrassment,” alleging widespread financial inducement at polling units. Nwosu claimed that cash ranging from N3,000 to N20,000 was openly distributed, undermining the integrity of the process. He stressed that true victory is judged by fairness, not just votes, and stated that the election failed to reflect the people’s will.
Dr George Moghalu of the LP also expressed dissatisfaction, citing vote buying, underage voting, and irregularities with ballot papers. He reported that some minors were seen with voter cards, and some LP candidates were left off ballots in certain polling units. Moghalu noted that a comprehensive review of election reports is ongoing before deciding on further action.
The ADC accused INEC officials of collusion, claiming that security operatives and electoral officers failed to prevent voter inducement. The party described the election as a “cash-drenched spectacle” and warned that continued impunity for such offenses could undermine Nigeria’s democracy.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu congratulated Governor Soludo, describing the victory as proof of his visionary leadership. Tinubu commended INEC, security agencies, and the people of Anambra for the peaceful conduct of the election. He urged Governor Soludo to collaborate with opposition candidates and maintain transparency in governance.
Governor Soludo, responding to his victory, extended a hand of fellowship to his opponents. He thanked INEC for conducting a credible election and dedicated his win to the people of Anambra. Soludo highlighted that voter participation rose to 22%, with 73% of votes cast in his favor, marking historic engagement.
Civil society group SERAP has also urged INEC to refer allegations of vote buying and undue influence to anti-corruption agencies. The organization emphasized that prosecuting offenders is critical to protecting electoral integrity and restoring public confidence.
The November 2025 Anambra governorship election remains contentious, with major parties rejecting the declared outcome. Observers note that addressing reported irregularities is crucial to sustaining democratic credibility in the state.
