Sixteen candidates will today, Saturday, November 8, 2025, contest in the Anambra governorship election as over 2.8 million registered voters across the state head to the polls to decide who will lead them for the next four years.
The election marks the first major off-cycle poll under the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, who assumed office on October 23. It is seen as a crucial test of INEC’s readiness to conduct credible elections and strengthen public trust in electoral reforms.
According to INEC, a total of 2,802,790 voters are eligible to participate, including 140,370 newly registered voters spread across 326 wards. About 98.8 per cent of Permanent Voter Cards have been collected.
Candidates in the race include;
Onyeeze Chidi – A
Nweke Ezechukwu – Japhet – AA
Ifemeludike Chioma Grace – AAC
Nwosu Chima John – ADC
Ukachukwu Nicholas – APC
Soludo Charles – APGA
Otti Cyprian Echezona – APM.
Nweke Christopher
Chukwudubem – APP
Okeke Chika Jerry – BP
Moghalu George – LP
Onyejgbu Geoffrey – NNPP
Ndidi Christy Olieh – NRM
Ezenwafor Jude – PDP
Chukwurah Vincent – SDP
Chukwuma Paul Chukwuka -YPP and,
Ugwoji Uchenna – ZLP
INEC confirmed that polls will open at 8:30 a.m. in 5,718 polling units across the state, using over 6,800 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices. It added that 24,000 ad hoc staff have been deployed, and logistics materials were distributed under tight security supervision from the Central Bank of Nigeria office in Awka.
Speaking ahead of the election, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Queen Awgu, said, “The idea is to ensure the election starts as scheduled; that is the only way the process can go on without delay. We encourage residents to come out and vote. Every vote counts.”
The INEC chairman, Prof. Amupitan, said four National Commissioners and 10 Resident Electoral Commissioners had been deployed to oversee the process. “Anyone attempting violence, vote-buying, intimidation, or ballot interference will face swift, lawful consequences,” he warned.
To ensure safety, the Anambra State Police Command has announced a total restriction of vehicular movement from 12 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the election.
Police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, explained that the restriction was aimed at curbing the movement of political thugs and other groups that might disrupt the process. “Only those on essential duties such as INEC officials, accredited journalists, observers, medical and emergency workers will be exempted,” he stated.
Commissioner of Police Abayomi Shogunle also confirmed that the number of deployed security operatives had been raised from 45,000 to 55,000 to ensure safety across polling units.
Meanwhile, heavy security presence was observed around INEC’s state headquarters in Awka, with armoured personnel carriers positioned across strategic points near Ekwueme Square.
The Anambra governorship race has been closely watched due to its political importance and history of keen competition. Anambra joined Nigeria’s off-cycle election list in 2003 after the Court of Appeal overturned the victory of Chris Ngige of the Peoples Democratic Party and declared Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance the rightful winner.
