The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday released the final list of candidates for the 2025 Anambra State Governorship election. The commission fixed June 11 to November 6, 2025 for electioneering campaigns.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement on Wednesday highlighted that 16 of the 19 registered political parties in Nigeria are participating in the election out of which the African Action Congress (AAC) and the National Rescue Movement (NRM) have nominated female candidates while six parties are fielding female running mates. The commission identified the parties to include Accord (A), All Progressives Congress (APC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Boot Party (BP), Labour Party (LP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The commissioner noted that no party has nominated a person with disability as a candidate; adding that in terms of age, the candidates range between 36 and 71 years.
Leading candidates in the Anambra governorship polls include incumbent Governor Soludo Charles Chukwuma – All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Ukachukwu Nicholas – All Progressives Congress (APC); Ifemeludike Chioma Grace – African Action Congress (AAC); Moghalu George Nnadubem – Labour Party (LP); Onyejebu Geoffrey – New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); Ndidi Christy Olieh – National Rescue Movement (NRM); and Ezenwafor Jude – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Olumekun, in the statement, recalled that the Commission recently published the personal particulars of candidates that emerged from primaries conducted by political parties for the forthcoming Anambra State Governorship election.
According to him, a total of 16 Political Parties uploaded the particulars of their candidates (Form EC9) by the deadline of 6.00pm on Monday 12th May 2025.
He added that in line with the provision of Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, Political Parties are empowered to replace their candidates who voluntarily withdraw from the race.
“Accordingly, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) conducted a fresh primary election to replace its candidate while four Political Parties replaced their Deputy Governorship candidates. They are Accord (A), African Action Congress (AAC), Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). The deadline for the withdrawal and substitution of candidates was Monday 2nd June 2025,” Olumeku said.
Consequently, the Commission hereby publishes the final list of candidates that will contest in the 2025 Anambra State Governorship election, he stated.
The full list of the candidates by party, age, gender and academic qualifications has been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information, Olumekun said.
The commissioner maintained that “with this publication, no further withdrawal or replacement of candidates will be allowed except in the event of death of a candidate or running mate before Election Day as provided by Section 34(1) of the Electoral Act.”
Commencement of Campaign
According to Olumekun in line with the provision of Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, Political Parties are now at liberty to start their electioneering campaigns in public from Wednesday 11th June 2025 and end at midnight on Thursday 6th November 2025.
The statement further reads;
As enshrined in Sections 92 and 93 of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission wishes to remind Political Parties, candidates and their supporters that it is unlawful to use abusive language, carry out physical attacks on opponents during rallies, processions and meetings or destroy their campaign materials.
Similarly, all parties and candidates must be given unimpeded access to public facilities for media campaign, outdoor advertising as well as public rallies and meetings. For the avoidance of doubt, Section 95(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 prohibits the use of incumbency to the advantage or disadvantage of any party or candidate.
The Anambra State Governorship election will hold on Saturday 8th November 2025.