Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo has been re-elected governor of Anambra State after securing 422,664 votes in Saturday’s governorship election, winning in all 21 local government areas.
His closest challenger, APC’s Nicholas Ukachukwu, scored 99,445 votes, while YPP’s Paul Chukwuma came a distant third with 37,753 votes.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu congratulated Soludo, noting that his decisive victory marked him as the third governor in Anambra’s history to win a second term under the APGA platform.
Tinubu praised Soludo’s leadership and urged him to be magnanimous in victory and work with opponents.
However, defeated candidates, including Ukachukwu, John Nwosu of ADC and YPP’s Chukwuma, rejected the results, accusing APGA of massive vote-buying.
ADC’s Nwosu described the election as “a marketplace of cash inducement,” alleging voters were bribed with between N3,000 and N20,000 in many polling units.
Vote-buying dominated post-election reactions, with the EFCC confirming the arrest of three individuals for financial inducement.
Candidates traded blame, while smaller party candidates like Booth Party’s Okeke Chika Jerry called for strict prosecution and disqualification of culprits to curb the growing menace.
Despite the controversies, some observers and analysts said Soludo’s win reflected his political strength and strategic alignment with the Federal Government.
JODER’s Wale Adeoye insisted Soludo “deserved his victory” and urged opposition candidates to accept the result, noting that internal crises within the Labour Party also affected its showing.
APC chieftain Osita Okechukwu added that Soludo’s victory was evidence Nigeria is not drifting toward a one-party state, arguing that the result countered claims of APC’s alleged plot to dominate the political space.
INEC received mixed praise for efficient logistics but was urged to address BVAS malfunctioning and strengthen electoral integrity ahead of 2027.