(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.