All Set for Anambra Election as Soludo, 15 Other Candidates Battle for Governorship

•2.8m voters to decide  winner

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

All is set for the Anambra State governorship election on Saturday, November 8, where 16 governorship candidates from various political parties, including the incumbent governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, will battle.

Among the candidates contesting the election are Soludo of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Paul Chukwuma of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Mr John Nwosu of African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Dr George Moghalu of Labour Party (LP).

Others are Oti Echezona of Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Ms. Chioma Ifemeludike of African Action Congress (AAC), Jeff Nweke of Action Alliance (AA), Charles Onyeze of Accord, Geoff Onyejegbu of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Jude Ezenwafor of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Chukwududem Nweke of Action Peoples Party (APP).

Also in the race are Jerry Okeke of Boot Party, Ndidi Olieh of National Rescue Movement (NRM), Martin Ugwoji of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Vincent Chukwurah of Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Out of the 16 political parties, only a few are properly rooted in the state, with candidates who possess the capability to win the election. Six of the most popular among them are Soludo, Ukachukwu, Moghalu, Nwosu, Chukwuma, and Nweke.

Of the six, however, the zoning arrangement in the state, which has remained an unwritten pact, but very effective, seems to make it near impossible for two of the candidates earlier mentioned.

They are Chukwuma and Nweke, who hail from the northern and central senatorial zones, respectively.

There had been arguments if others who were favoured by the zoning arrangement from Anambra South zone could truly unseat Soludo, who, despite being from same zone, is from a dominant political party, APGA, in the state, and holds the power of incumbency.

Soludo is believed by many to have performed well in his first tenure, and is also liked among the people, while some others believe his administration has been trailed by poor performance and riddled with insecurity.

Meanwhile, a total of 2,802,790 registered voters would participate in the election. Some members of the public, who spoke to THISDAY, said they were ready with their voter cards to elect a candidate of their choice.

Members of the media and other election observers have been accredited for election coverage, with strict instructions that only accredited observers would be allowed to move around.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies have expressed readiness for the exercise.

Speaking during a stakeholders meeting held with political parties and their candidates on Wednesday, the INEC chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, said officials of the commission were ready to give Anambra the best.

Similarly at a press conference, yesterday, in Abuja, Amupitan reiterated that the mission of the commission was to ensure that every vote counted, and that the will of the people prevailed.

He stated, “With a register of 2,802,790 eligible voters, Anambra has the numbers to powerfully shape its own destiny.

“However, the historical slide in voter participation in the state is genuinely worrying: in the 2013 governorship election, turnout was only 25.5 per cent (413,005 valid votes from 1,770,125 registered). In 2017, it dropped further to 20.10 per cent (422,314 valid votes from 2,364,134 registered).

“In 2021, the situation deteriorated sharply with a mere 10.27 per cent turnout (241,523 valid votes from 2,466,638 registered).

“Democracy only thrives when citizens actively choose their leaders. I, therefore, urge every person in Anambra to come out and exercise their civic right without fear or favour.”

The INEC chair added that following the conclusion of voter registration and a thorough database clean-up, the commission had finalised a register of 2,802,790 voters for the election on September 4, 2025.

He said, “Initially, only 63.9 per cent of voters had collected their PVCs. To close this gap, INEC extended the PVC collection period from Wednesday, 29th October, to Sunday, 2nd November 2025, ensuring collection centres were open across all 326 Registration Areas (Wards).

“I am delighted to share a success story today: that extension has yielded excellent results! The percentage of collected PVCs to registered voters now stands at an impressive 98.80 per cent.”

Amupitan said that was a significant collection rate for any election in Nigeria, and it sent a clear signal. He added that all uncollected cards would now be safely retrieved and stored at the Central Bank of Nigeria until after the election.

Head of security during election duty, Abayomi Shogunle, a Commissioner of Police, who had already resumed duties, told journalists through a press release by the spokesperson for Anambra State Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, a Superintendent of Police, that he was set for the job.

A public affairs analyst, Mr Ikechukwu Eze, told THISDAY that Anambra would be expecting very free, fair and credible election from INEC.