Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), is currently leading in the Anambra State Governorship Election as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) uploads results from Saturday’s polls. As of press time, INEC had uploaded over 99% of the election results onto its Results Viewing Portal, despite widespread allegations of vote-buying and other electoral irregularities. Voter turnout was relatively low across the state, even with many voters collecting their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the election.
Soludo is performing strongly in his stronghold areas, including Aguata LGA in Anambra South and parts of Anambra Central Senatorial District. Anambra State has a total of 21 LGAs, divided into three senatorial districts. According to INEC, there are 2,802,790 registered voters eligible to participate in the election, including 140,370 newly registered voters across 326 wards. The election was conducted in 5,718 polling units.
Soludo won his polling unit in Isuofia, securing 417 votes, while his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), received just four votes. Ukachukwu also won his polling unit in Osumenyi with 108 votes against APGA’s four. As of 10 PM on Saturday, INEC had uploaded 99.14% of results. Preliminary data indicated that APGA was leading in most polling units uploaded, with Ukachukwu trailing significantly.
In several LGAs, APGA demonstrated dominance, with substantial victories in polling units. For instance, in Ekwusigo LGA, APGA secured 1,548 votes while APC garnered only 599. Similar trends were observed in Njikoka, Aguata, and Ogbaru LGAs.
Former Anambra Governor Peter Obi criticized the rampant vote-buying during the election, stating that it undermines democracy. He noted that victims of bad governance are often the ones selling their votes for amounts ranging from N20,000 to N30,000. Governor Soludo expressed confidence in winning all 21 LGAs, despite alleging that some voters were paid N15,000 each to sell their votes in Nnewi South. He remained optimistic that the principle of “one man, one vote” would prevail.
However, the APC’s Ukachukwu echoed concerns about widespread vote-buying and intimidation, describing it as a “dangerous norm” that erodes democratic values.
Tragedy struck in Orumba South LGA, where a councillor was shot dead by gunmen while attempting to vote. Eyewitnesses criticized security forces for their inability to prevent the attack. Tension escalated in Ihiala after police reportedly fired teargas at the INEC secretariat, injuring a corps member and an observer. The police confirmed the incident but described it as a minor scuffle.
Several elderly voters encountered issues during the accreditation process, as the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) failed to recognize their faces. There were also reports of elderly citizens being denied the right to vote due to lack of valid voter cards. Despite these challenges, many residents prioritized their livelihoods, with traders operating near polling units despite a movement restriction order.
As the election results continue to be tallied, early indications suggest a strong lead for Soludo and APGA, amidst serious concerns about electoral integrity and security
