In Anambra, Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has won Saturday’s election, thus, securing a second term in the South-East state until 2030.
Professor Omoregie Edoba, the State Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the University of Benindeclared Soludo as the winner after the collation of results.
He defeated all his challengers in the 21 local governments.
In the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) won by a landslide in all the councils.
Edoba announced at the state headquarters of INEC in Awka, the state capital: “I hereby declare that Soludo Chukwuma Charles of APGA, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected”.
Soludo secured 422,664 votes to defeat his closest rival, the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Nicholas Ukachukwu, who polled 99,445 votes.
Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) came third with 37,753 votes, while John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) scored 8,208 votes.
George Moghalu of the Labour Party (LP) and Jude Ezenwafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 10,576 votes and 1,401 votes, respectively.
During the election on Saturday, there was widespread voting buying across the state.
Some voters collected as high as N30,000 per vote.
Soludo, in his reaction, thanked President Bola Tinubu. “With a sense of gratitude to the President and Commander in Chief, I thank President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for being a very true democrat. He has demonstrated very firmly his commitment to guaranteeing a free and fair election,” he said.
The governor also commended the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, describing the election as the best conducted in the state since the introduction of technology into the process.
“This is your first outing, and I am very excited that your first impression is a very emphatic one. INEC delivered,” Soludo added.
The governor, who secured a second term alongside his deputy, Onyeka Ibezim, said the outcome reflected the will of the people. He noted that the election recorded one of the highest levels of voter engagement in recent political history in the state.
“I just came out to say thank you to all of you and Ndi Anambra. This is a moment to say congratulations to Ndi Anambra. You have spoken,” he said. “Four years ago, you elected us with about 112,000 votes. This time, you spoke loudly. This victory is not just a victory; it is history made.”
He highlighted that approximately 22 percent of registered voters participated in the election, describing it as unprecedented.
He also pointed out that his re-election marks only the third time an incumbent governor has been returned to office in Anambra since 1999, adding that he won with an emphatic 73 percent of the votes cast.
President Tinubu: Soludo’s Re-Election Affirmation of His Visionary Leadership
I congratulate Professor Chukwuma Soludo on his re-election as the governor of Anambra State. The overwhelming victory he recorded in Saturday’s poll has now made him the third governor in the state’s political history to win a second term.
I must also congratulate the people of Anambra State, the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the peaceful and successful conduct of the governorship election.
Professor Soludo’s re-election is a testament to his visionary leadership and the significant progress the state has made under his guidance.
Governor Soludo, the Solution, has demonstrated that indeed knowledge is power and that academic principles can be applied in serving the people, undergirding accountability, transparency and prudent management of people and resources.
I visited Anambra State in May this year, where I inaugurated some projects executed by the Soludo administration. I highlighted the good thinking behind the landmark projects being embarked upon by Mr Solution. That experience is indeed remarkable and will remain indelible in my mind.
I commend Governor Soludo for bringing discipline, grace, brilliance, and a fresh perspective to governance in Anambra. Under him, Anambra is living up to its motto as the Light of the Nation.
I urge Governor Soludo to be magnanimous in victory and to seek the cooperation of his opponents in the just-concluded elections.
I assure Governor Soludo of my unwavering support, and I look forward to continued collaboration between Anambra and the Federal Government.
The victory of the opposition All Grand Progressives Alliance in the election again demonstrates the vitality of our political system and the fact that victory for any progressive and hardworking leader can hardly be encumbered or denied.
I must also thank the new INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, and his team for conducting what observers have described as a credible election, based on the reports I have received thus far.
I charge the commission with maintaining the standards and further improving its performance, so we can continue to strengthen and deepen our electoral system.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President & Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
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