Anambra State will today, Saturday, November 8, 2025, witness a historic governorship election as no fewer than 2.8 million registered voters troop out to elect who will steer the affairs of the state for the next four years.
This keenly contested poll marks the first major electoral test for the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, who assumed office on October 23.
For many political observers, today’s exercise is not just about who becomes the next governor, but also a litmus test for INEC’s credibility, transparency and capacity to conduct a free and fair election under a new leadership.
The Electoral Landscape
According to INEC, a total of 2,802,790 voters are eligible to participate, including 140,370 new registrants across Anambra’s 326 wards. The commission confirmed that 98.8 per cent of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been collected, an encouraging indicator of potential high turnout.
The poll will take place in 5,718 polling units, supported by 6,879 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices. Over 24,000 ad hoc officials have been deployed, while materials were distributed from the Central Bank of Nigeria office in Awka under tight security on Thursday.
State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Queen Awgu, supervised the deployment, assuring that logistics were handled efficiently to ensure that polling commences promptly at 8:30 a.m.
“We want to ensure that the process starts and ends seamlessly,” Awgu said, urging residents to “come out en masse and make their votes count.”
Heavy Security, Restricted Movement
The Anambra State Police Command has imposed a total restriction on vehicular movement from 12 midnight to 6 p.m. today, warning that the measure is necessary to prevent the influx of political thugs and disruptors.
Police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, noted that only INEC officials, accredited journalists, election observers, medical and emergency workers will be exempted.
The Commissioner of Police for the state, Abayomi Shogunle, disclosed that 55,000 security personnel have been deployed, an increase from the 45,000 earlier planned, to ensure safety across all polling areas. The Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Benjamin Okolo, is in Awka as the overall coordinator of the election’s security operations.
Meanwhile, security operatives have cordoned off the INEC headquarters at Ekwueme Square, Awka, where armoured vehicles and personnel have barricaded strategic entry points.
INEC on Trial
INEC Chairman, Prof. Amupitan, has dispatched four National Commissioners and 10 Resident Electoral Commissioners to oversee the poll.
During a pre-election briefing in Abuja, he assured that the commission was fully prepared and warned against any act of electoral misconduct.
“Anyone attempting violence, vote-buying, intimidation, or ballot interference will face swift, lawful consequences,” Amupitan declared.
The election has attracted the attention of both local and international observer groups including Yiaga Africa, Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), and Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), which have all set up situation rooms in Awka and Onitsha to monitor proceedings.
Yiaga Africa identified six potential flashpoints — Orumba North, Orumba South, Ogbaru, Ihiala, Nnewi South and Aguata — citing the presence of non-state armed actors and urging authorities to strengthen surveillance in those areas.
The Candidates and the Stakes
A total of 16 political parties are fielding candidates in the Anambra governorship election, including two women. Among them are some familiar faces and new entrants seeking to shape the future of the state.
The major contenders include Professor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who is the incumbent governor and a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a businessman and seasoned politician; and Dr. George Moghalu of the Labour Party (LP), who previously served as the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
Also in the race is John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), an information and communications technology expert and former Labour Party aspirant; Sir Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), a businessman and former APC chieftain; and Jude Ezenwafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a political scientist and one-time aide to former Governor Peter Obi.
Other candidates include Oti Echezona of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Jeff Nweke of the Action Alliance (AA), Charles Onyeze of the Accord Party, Chioma Ifemeludike of the African Action Congress (AAC), and Ndidi Olieh of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), among others.
Despite the crowded field, analysts say the race is largely between Soludo, Ukachukwu and Moghalu, with Chukwuma of YPP seen as a dark horse.
Soludo’s Record and Advantage
Governor Soludo, seeking a second term on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), is banking on his administration’s record in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and security restoration. Under his tenure, the once volatile parts of the state — notably Ihiala, Orumba and Nnewi South — have witnessed relative calm.
APGA’s dominance in Anambra since 2006, coupled with the state’s informal zoning arrangement that currently favours Anambra South, where Soludo hails from, gives him a strategic edge.
A recent African Development Institute of Research Methodology (ADIRM) poll placed Soludo far ahead, with 85.7 per cent projected voter preference, followed by APC’s Ukachukwu (7.6 per cent) and LP’s Moghalu (5 per cent).
Ukachukwu and the APC Challenge
Ukachukwu’s campaign has been buoyed by the federal might of the ruling APC and the inclusion of Senator Uche Ekwunife as his running mate. The party has made significant inroads, especially in Anambra Central, but faces resistance from residents wary of federal interference.
The APC has accused the Soludo administration of “deploying non-state actors” during past elections and warned against intimidation of voters today.
The Battlegrounds
The political map of the state shows Anambra Central — with seven LGAs and over 1,556 polling units — as the most competitive zone.
Anambra South, with heavyweights like Soludo, Ukachukwu, Moghalu and Nwosu, is expected to witness vote-splitting, while Anambra North may tilt toward APGA, despite the YPP candidate hailing from there.
Pre-Election Mood
On Friday, major towns across the state were agog with last-minute shopping, cash withdrawals and inter-town travel as residents prepared for today’s movement restrictions. Hotels in Awka, Nnewi and Onitsha were fully booked, while markets recorded brisk business.
Grace Igwe, a trader at Onitsha Main Market, captured the mood: “Everywhere is calm and we are ready to vote. We just pray it remains peaceful so that by Monday, we’ll know our next governor.”
Eyes on Amupitan, Eyes on Anambra
As the sun rises over the hills of Awka this morning, all eyes — from Abuja to Onitsha — are fixed on INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, whose first major election could define the tone of Nigeria’s future electoral credibility.
For the people of Anambra, today’s election is not just about who leads next, but about proving that democracy can thrive — peacefully and credibly — in the heart of the South-East.
Will Soludo retain the seat, or will a new political force emerge? By tonight, the ballots will begin to tell the story.
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