KEY POINTS
- INEC issues certificates to Soludo and deputy.
- Soludo praises Nigeria’s electoral process.
- APGA secures a landslide victory with 73 percent votes.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has presented certificates of return to Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his deputy, Onyekachukwu Ibezim, following their victory in last Saturday’s governorship election.
Kenneth Ikeagu, INEC’s National Commissioner overseeing the Anambra poll, presented the certificates at the Commission’s state headquarters in Awka. He said the action complied with Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates INEC to issue certificates to duly returned candidates within 14 days.
Nigeria’s electoral process earns praise
Soludo, joined by his deputy, spouses, aides, and supporters, expressed gratitude to INEC and security agencies for conducting what he described as a transparent and credible election.
“I congratulate INEC and its new chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan,” he said. “We are delighted that his first assignment was in Anambra, and it was a celebrated success. The security agencies stood firm to ensure the people’s will prevailed.”
The governor commended the record voter turnout and the scale of his victory, describing it as a testament to the people’s trust and participation.
Soludo hails democracy and Nigeria’s electoral process
“Almost 600,000 people participated,” he said. “For the first time in Anambra’s history, a candidate secured 73 percent of the total votes, winning 98 percent of all wards and 99 percent of polling units.”
Soludo, who contested on the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) platform, polled 422,664 votes. He defeated APC’s Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, who scored 99,445 votes. The Young Progressives Party candidate, Sir Paul Chukwuma, came third with 37,753 votes.
Sixteen candidates participated in the election. Soludo thanked the electorate for their resilience and urged his rivals to continue to uphold the spirit of democracy.
“In 2010, I congratulated the winner even though I scored only 30 percent,” he recalled. “Democracy thrives when we respect the will of the people.”
