The 2025 Anambra State governorship election was largely peaceful across the state’s 21 local government areas, though marred by widespread allegations of vote-buying and irregularities from several candidates.
Voting commenced around 8 a.m. in most polling units, with accreditation and balloting proceeding smoothly in areas such as Fegge Community Primary School in Onitsha and various wards in Aguata Local Government Area. While some traders initially opened shops at the Nkwo Igboukwu Market, market leaders later directed closures to encourage participation.
By 9:12 a.m. on Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had uploaded 98.99 percent of polling unit results to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV), representing 5,662 of the 5,720 polling units where voting took place. The quick upload came barely four hours after the close of polls, reflecting an efficient collation process compared to previous elections.
The election featured 16 governorship candidates, including incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), George Moghalu of the Labour Party (LP), Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), and Jude Ezenwafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Two female contenders, Chioma Ifemeludike of the African Action Congress (AAC) and Ndidi Olieh of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), also joined the race, alongside six female deputy governorship candidates.
Despite the generally calm atmosphere, reports of vote-buying and voter inducement surfaced across multiple polling units. Governor Soludo, after casting his vote at Polling Unit 002, Umuezeadigo Street, Isuofia, Aguata LGA, expressed confidence in APGA’s victory but raised concerns over alleged attempts by unnamed parties to manipulate results. “We hear that one party has written results to swap during the collation process and met with INEC officials not to upload results,” he alleged.
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi condemned the scale of vote-buying, describing it as a dangerous trend that undermines democracy. Speaking after casting his vote, Obi said, “Those who are victims of bad governance are the ones fuelling it. I saw votes being bought for ₦30,000, ₦20,000, ₦15,000. By selling your vote, you’re selling away your schools, hospitals, and future.”
Other candidates, including John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nicholas Ukachukwu of the APC, and Chioma Ifemeludike of the AAC, also condemned vote-buying, accusing the ruling APGA of orchestrating widespread inducements. Nwosu described the act as “a destructive practice that criminalises both voters and politicians,” calling for arrests and prosecution of those involved.
Traffic restrictions were observed in Onitsha, where security operatives cordoned off the Niger Bridge to facilitate the safe movement of election materials and personnel. The Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Shogunle, assured residents of adequate security, confirming that threats in flashpoints such as Ihiala had been neutralised.
INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan reiterated the commission’s commitment to transparency, insisting that “no excuses for failure will be accepted.” With nearly all results uploaded and collation underway, observers have commended the peaceful conduct of the exercise but urged authorities to investigate the persistent allegations of vote-buying that continue to stain Nigeria’s electoral process.
