By Ayo Ayodele
Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has emerged the winner of the Anambra State governorship election, following the declaration of results across all 21 local government areas by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The final collation, conducted at the INEC state collation centre, showed Soludo winning by a significant margin ahead of other candidates. APGA secured a total of 422,664 votes, placing Soludo far ahead of his closest rival.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) came second with 99,445 votes, while the Young Progressives Party (YPP) candidate recorded 33,652 votes. The Labour Party (LP) followed with 10,482 votes, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) finished with 8,317 votes. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), once considered a strong contender in the state, trailed behind with 1,774 votes.
The election was largely peaceful, though security presence remained heavy across major voting centres. Voter turnout varied across local governments, with some areas recording low participation due to earlier concerns over safety.
INEC officials commended the electoral process, stating that results reflected votes cast across polling units. With the declaration of Soludo as the winner, attention now shifts to the transition process and his expected policy direction for the state.
The Anambra governorship election attracted national attention due to the state’s strategic political significance in the South-East region and the presence of high-profile candidates. Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), contested under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). His campaign focused on continuity of APGA governance in the state and promises of economic transformation. Major parties like the All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also fielded candidates, making the election highly competitive.