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Insights into the Anambra Governorship Election
Looking at the 2017 and 2021 election periods, the off-season gubernatorial election in Anambra State, held on November 8, 2025, stood out as a remarkable change. It changed the negative story that had characterized those two earlier elections.
Remember that in 2017, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its allies organized the residents of Anambra State to avoid taking part in the election. By 2021, Anambra State had become a battlefield. The off-cycle election that year was marked by a brutal campaign of fire and destruction. Buildings and offices belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were destroyed. The environment was so dangerous that temporary workers who had been trained for the election fled just before it began. The Commission had to request direct presidential assistance for the election to proceed. It's no surprise that voter participation in both the 2017 and 2021 elections was extremely low, standing at 22% and 10% respectively.
Despite concerns stemming from the severe security issues in 2017 and 2021, polls generally started early throughout the state, with only a few exceptions. Additionally, aside from a limited number of incidents in four local government areas—Anambra West, Aniocha, Awka, and Onitsha South—the election proceeded without major problems. It is important to note that the total number of votes impacted by these incidents did not significantly disrupt the election process, allowing the Returning Officer to announce the results and the winner.
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The security agencies improved the situation by acting in a professional manner. Similarly, the INEC staff assigned to oversee the election performed their duties effectively. The results from each Polling Unit (PU) were smoothly and promptly uploaded to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV). By midnight on election day, almost all PU results had already been posted on the IReV. As a result, the election winner was already clear, and INEC was simply following procedures as required by law, carrying out the formalities of collation and declaration of results.
The election was secured, consecutively, and for the first time since 1999, by the current officeholder, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, from the All-Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). He received the most votes in the election (422,644) and achieved at least 25 percent of the valid votes cast across all twenty-one local government areas of the state. This surpasses the legal requirement of obtaining at least two-thirds or fourteen local government areas. Professor Soludo's win was not only broad; it affirms Anambra as a core region for APGA.
The advantages of the election, especially concerning Anambra State, need to be reinforced and maintained for future elections. Insights gained should be incorporated into upcoming elections set to take place before the 2027 general elections. These include: the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chairmanship and area council elections, planned for February 21st, 2026; the Ekiti State off-cycle governorship election scheduled for June 20th, 2026; and the Osun State off-cycle governorship election set for August 8th, 2026.
If the off-cycle governorship election in Anambra State showed a major change away from violence and saw a 100 percent rise in voter participation compared to 2021, it should be mentioned that this number is still below the national average. Voter turnout in the 2023 presidential election, which was the lowest since 1999, reached 28.63 percent. The low voter participation throughout Nigeria reflects several issues, such as voters' ongoing concerns about the fairness of our elections, the violence that disrupts the electoral process, and the failure of our leaders to provide effective governance.
Vote buying and trading was common during the election. It was so prevalent that at least four candidates, including the election's winner, Professor Soludo, and the second-place finisher, Nicholas Ukachukwu, strongly criticized this negative trend.
The audacity and widespread nature of vote buying is highly alarming. This occurs because political positions can be readily acquired by those with the largest financial resources or highest bids. The sacred expression of the people's choice is also quickly undermined or turned into a mockery. Vote buying should be prioritized in high-level discussions on elections, and it should further encourage all involved parties to push for the creation of an Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal. This body should impose penalties on those engaged in vote buying and other election-related violations, while also acting as a deterrent against potential offenders.
The management of the Anambra State off-cycle gubernatorial election took place during the arrival of Professor Joash Amupitan as the head of INEC. Although he took charge at a moment when almost all the 13 milestones on the way to the election had already been achieved, the election must have acted as both a revelation and a challenging test.
Professor Amupitan is arriving at a moment when the Commission is struggling with trust issues stemming from the 2023 general elections, and there is an urgent need for it to restore its tarnished reputation before the 2027 elections. He is also arriving at a time when urgent reforms or amendments to electoral laws are necessary to ensure, among other things, that the electronic transmission of results becomes mandatory to protect the integrity of the process. Additionally, logistics—a long-standing problem—must be tackled immediately. He must take advantage of the period between now and the next general elections to gain the trust of Nigerians in the Commission's capacity to hold transparent and credible elections, implement these changes, and carefully consider the complexities of his demanding role.
Amidst widespread rumors that the general elections might be moved to November 2026 to allow ample time for post-election lawsuits, he will realize that he and the Commission have very limited time. It is up to him to juggle multiple responsibilities and to take advantage of the opportunity. He should act when the circumstances are favorable.
Nick Dazang was a previous director at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).Demikianlah Artikel Insights into the Anambra Governorship Election
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