Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, and his deputy, Onyekachukwu Ibezim, have officially received their certificates of return, confirming their re-election in the November 8 governorship election.
The certificates were presented on Tuesday by Kenneth Ikeagu, Supervising INEC National Commissioner for Anambra State, in Awka, two days after the election results were declared.
“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, it is my honour to present the certificates of return to the Governor and Deputy Governor-elect, who emerged victorious in the election,” Ikeagu said.
Soludo, representing the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), secured a landslide victory with 422,664 votes, winning all 21 local government areas. His closest rival, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scored 99,445 votes, while Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) came third with 37,753 votes.
A total of 16 candidates from as many political parties contested the election. Out of 2,788,864 registered voters, 598,229 were accredited, with 595,298 votes cast and 11,244 rejected, according to INEC.
Soludo and Ibezim were accompanied by their wives during the certificate presentation at the INEC headquarters, marking the official confirmation of their second-term mandate.