INEC Declares APGA Candidate Winner Amid Vote-Buying, BVAS Glitches and Street Jubilation
Anambra erupted in wild celebration as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the incumbent governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), winner of the hotly-contested governorship election — an exercise laced with drama, tension and controversy.
Soludo, the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, delivered a crushing defeat to 15 opponents after sweeping all 21 local government areas of the state. He amassed 422,664 votes, leaving his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the APC, far behind with 99,445 votes, according to results announced at the INEC headquarters in Awka in the early hours of Sunday.
APGA maintained a firm grip across both urban and rural areas, solidifying its 19-year dominance in Anambra politics.
But the election was anything but smooth. Reports of vote-buying, intimidation and malfunctioning BVAS machines trailed the poll, with voting disrupted in several centres. Opposition parties, including the Labour Party (LP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC), accused APGA of using state might and cash inducements to sway voters.
Civil society observers painted a mixed picture — citing late arrival of materials, security lapses and pockets of violence in parts of Ihiala, Nnewi North and Onitsha South. At one polling unit in Njikoka LGA, a presiding officer reportedly collapsed under pressure as frustrated voters struggled with faulty devices.
Still, the tension gave way to jubilation as supporters poured into the streets of Awka, Ekwulobia, Onitsha and Nnewi, chanting “APGA Kwechiri!” and waving the party’s yellow flags high into the night.
In his victory speech, a visibly elated Soludo thanked Ndi Anambra for “renewing their faith” in his administration and vowed to make his second term a period of rapid growth and reform.
> “This victory belongs to Ndi Anambra,” Soludo declared. “We will deepen reforms, complete ongoing projects, and make our beloved state the shining light of innovation, enterprise and peace.”
He pledged to focus on youth empowerment, infrastructure, and digital governance, assuring citizens that “the best of Anambra is yet to come.”
Meanwhile, opposition parties are already consulting their legal teams and may head to the Election Petition Tribunal to contest the results, citing alleged irregularities.
INEC officials, however, insist the poll was free, fair and credible, dismissing allegations of rigging as “exaggerated political noise.”
With this emphatic victory, Soludo tightens APGA’s unbroken grip on Anambra, securing another four-year mandate and etching his name deeper into the state’s political history.
PIONEER NEWS 