Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has described his re-election victory as a defining moment for democracy and a reflection of the people’s will.
Speaking after being declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, the governor said the outcome of the November 8 governorship poll marked “a shattering of another glass ceiling” in the state’s political history.
INEC’s Returning Officer, Professor Edoba Omoregie, announced that Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) secured 422,664 votes to defeat Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 99,445 votes.
Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) followed with 37,753 votes, while Labour Party’s George Moghalu garnered 10,576 votes.
Reacting to the victory, Soludo said the election reaffirmed the essence of democracy and the power of the people’s voice.
“We are in a true multi-party democracy. Democracy lets votes count. We spoke loudly here in Anambra,” he said.
The governor commended the increased voter participation, noting that 22 percent of registered voters turned out to cast their ballots — the highest in the state’s history.
He said the milestone reflected stronger political engagement and confidence in the electoral process.
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Soludo also thanked President Bola Tinubu for his role in ensuring that the election was credible, describing him as “a very true democrat” who demonstrated commitment to fairness and transparency.
He further praised the Independent National Electoral Commission and its chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, for managing the exercise efficiently.
“This is your very first outing as INEC chairman. As the saying goes, you don’t have a second chance to create a first impression, and I am very excited that your first impression is very emphatic,” Soludo said.
Looking ahead, the governor assured residents that his administration would intensify efforts to deliver on its promises by working with traditional rulers, religious leaders, community figures, and the business community.
“We applied for this job. You employed us four years ago. What I can say, as we stated throughout the campaign, is that you have not seen anything yet,” he said.
“Like the Americans would say, ‘you ain’t seen nothing yet.’ You are very emphatic by re-electing a governor, yours sincerely and my deputy, Onyeka Ibezim, with 73 percent of votes cast. We’re really humbled.
“I want to say it again and again loudly with this trust, in partnership with all our stakeholders, in partnership with you Ndi Anambra.”