In a decisive political showdown, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has been re-elected as the Governor of Anambra State, securing a commanding victory that underscores his political dominance in the South-East state.
A Resounding Mandate for Soludo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially declared Governor Soludo the winner in the early hours of Sunday, November 9, 2025. The State Returning Officer, Professor Omoregie Edoba, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, announced the final tally after results were collated from all 21 Local Government Areas.
Soludo, the flagbearer of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), polled an impressive 422,664 votes, effectively sweeping all the local government areas. This landslide victory grants him another four-year term at the helm of the state's affairs.
APC Emerges as Main Challenger
The election results revealed a significant shift in the political landscape of Anambra. The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Nicholas Ukachukwu, emerged as a formidable force, finishing as the runner-up with 99,445 votes. This performance marks a substantial improvement for the APC, which had a lackluster outing in the previous election where its candidate managed just over 43,000 votes.
Other candidates trailed far behind. Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) came a distant third with 37,753 votes, while John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) scored 8,208 votes. The Labour Party's George Moghalu and the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) Jude Ezenwafor garnered 10,576 and 1,401 votes respectively.
Peter Obi's Diminished Influence
A notable subplot of the election was the faltering influence of former Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Despite spearheading his party's campaign, Obi could not translate his national popularity into local success.
In a surprising upset at his own Polling Unit 019 in Umudimakasi, Amatutu village, Agulu, the Labour Party was defeated. The APC recorded 73 votes at the unit, beating the Labour Party which polled 57 votes. APGA came in third with 38 votes.
The overall performance of the Labour Party, with a total of 10,576 votes statewide, fell significantly short of expectations, especially in Obi's traditional stronghold of Agulu and the broader Anaocha area. This outcome has drawn considerable attention from political observers who had anticipated a stronger showing for the party given Obi's historical influence in the region.
The final declaration by INEC solidifies Soludo's position and sets the stage for his next four years in office, while the results signal a potential realignment of political forces in Anambra State.
