No fewer than 2.8 million registered voters across Anambra State will today elect a governor to lead the state for the next four years.
The election marks the first major assignment for the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, who assumed office on October 23.
Analysts say today’s exercise will serve as a litmus test for Amupitan’s leadership and INEC’s commitment to credible electoral reforms.
INEC disclosed that 2,802,790 voters, including 140,370 newly registered citizens across the state’s 326 wards, are eligible to participate.
With 98.8% of Permanent Voter Cards already collected, 16 political parties are fielding candidates, two of whom are women.
The leading contenders include the incumbent Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu (APC); Dr. George Moghalu (Labour Party); John Nwosu (African Democratic Congress); Jude Ezenwafor (PDP); and Sir Paul Chukwuma (Young Progressives Party).
INEC confirmed that 5,718 polling units would open at 8:30 a.m., supported by 6,879 configured BVAS machines and over 24,000 ad hoc staff.
Sensitive and non-sensitive materials were distributed to the 21 local government areas on Thursday under tight security at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Awka, supervised by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Queen Awgu.
“Our goal is to ensure that voting begins on time. That’s the only way to guarantee a smooth process,” Awgu said, urging residents to participate fully and shun apathy.
The Anambra State Police Command has imposed a total restriction on vehicular movement between 12 a.m. and 6 p.m. on election day.
Police spokesperson SP Tochukwu Ikenga said the move aims to prevent the movement of political thugs and criminal elements who might attempt to disrupt the polls.
Only those on essential duties, including INEC staff, accredited observers, medical personnel, and emergency workers, are exempt.
Meanwhile, over 55,000 security operatives have been deployed across the state, up from 45,000, according to the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Abayomi Shogunle.
“Anyone caught engaging in violence, vote-buying, or ballot interference will face swift consequences,” INEC Chairman Amupitan warned.
Ahead of the poll, security agencies barricaded INEC’s state headquarters at Ekwueme Square, Awka, on Friday.
Armoured personnel carriers and heavily armed officers were stationed at key routes leading to the complex to secure sensitive materials and election personnel.
Residents and motorists had to park and trek into adjoining areas as the deployment intensified.
Several civic groups, including the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), have established situation rooms to track the election in real-time.
The CTA deployed 50 observers, while the CDD accredited 178 observers across the state’s 21 LGAs.
The Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Benjamin Okolo, has also been sent from Abuja to supervise overall security coordination.
The APC and APGA have traded words over the security framework for the election.
APC Publicity Secretary, Okelo Madukaife, accused the state government of using non-state actors during previous elections and cautioned INEC against bias.
“Our concern is that unprofessional elements could infiltrate the security network again,” Madukaife said.
“The APC has run an issue-based campaign and expects a free and fair contest.”
However, APGA Publicity Secretary, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, dismissed fears of tension, assuring voters that the election would be peaceful.
“We’re targeting one million votes out of the 2.8 million registered voters,” Opara said. “President Bola Tinubu is a democrat, there will be no display of federal might. It will be an APGA victory.”
On Friday, major markets and motor parks across Onitsha, Nnewi, Ekwulobia, Obosi, and Awka were crowded with residents making last-minute purchases and travelling to their hometowns to vote.
Fuel stations and ATMs also witnessed long queues, while hotels in Awka and surrounding areas were fully booked by observers, journalists, and political aides.
A hotel manager in the Aroma area, Mr. Martin Uzor, confirmed that rooms had sold out since Thursday.
“We’ve had an influx of guests, observers, party agents, and officials, all under heavy security,” he said.
Many residents expressed optimism about the election atmosphere.
Grace Igwe, a trader in Onitsha, said,
“Everywhere is calm and peaceful. By Monday, we should know our next governor.”
The key battleground remains Anambra North, where YPP candidate Paul Chukwuma is the only contender from the zone.
With YPP’s limited grassroots presence, analysts predict votes may swing between APGA and APC.
In Anambra Central, which boasts the largest voter population and includes seven LGAs, APGA hopes to consolidate gains after zoning its governorship ticket to the area, traditionally a stronghold of the APC’s deputy governorship candidate, Uche Ekwunife.
Votes are expected to split in Anambra South, home to four major candidates, Soludo (APGA), Ukachukwu (APC), Moghalu (LP), and Nwosu (ADC).
Soludo is expected to dominate Aguata, his LGA, while Nnewi North and South could see a fierce contest among Moghalu, Ukachukwu, and Nwosu.
Although Labour Party gained strong support during the 2023 general elections, its influence has reportedly waned, with both APGA and APC consolidating in former LP strongholds.
The NGO Yiaga Africa identified six LGAs, Orumba North, Orumba South, Ogbaru, Ihiala, Nnewi South, and Aguata, as potential security flashpoints.
The chair of Yiaga’s 2025 Anambra Election Mission, Dr. Asmau Maikudi, said the areas were “potential hotspots” requiring targeted security deployments.
She highlighted three critical benchmarks for credible elections: efficiency of logistics, integrity of electoral procedures and neutrality of security agencies.
