The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued certificates of return to Anambra State Governor Professor Chukwuma Soludo and his deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, following their victory in last Saturday’s governorship election.
The certificates were presented by Kenneth Ikeagu, INEC’s National Commissioner supervising the Anambra election, at the Commission’s state headquarters in Awka.
“Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 mandates INEC to issue a certificate of return within 14 days to every candidate duly returned by the returning officer. In compliance with this provision, I have the honour to present the certificates to the Governor and Deputy Governor-elect,” Ikeagu said.
Soludo, accompanied by his deputy, their spouses, aides, and supporters, thanked INEC and security agencies for ensuring a free and fair election.
“I congratulate INEC and its new chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan. We are delighted that his first outing was in Anambra, and it was widely celebrated. The security agencies stood firm to ensure the will of the people prevailed,” Soludo said.
He praised the historic voter turnout and the scale of his victory, noting:
“Almost 600,000 people participated. For the first time in Anambra’s history, a candidate secured 73% of the total votes, winning 98% of all wards and 99% of all polling units. In several local governments, we did not lose a single polling unit.”
Soludo, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), polled 422,664 votes, defeating his closest rival, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, who scored 99,445 votes. The Young Progressives Party (YPP) candidate, Sir Paul Chukwuma, came third with 37,753 votes. Sixteen candidates participated in the election.
The governor also commended the electorate for their resilience and sportsmanship, recalling his own experience in the 2010 election:
“To the candidates, I say we are like brothers in Anambra politics. In 2010, I congratulated the winner even though I scored only 30%. Democracy thrives when we respect the people’s choice.”
