By Abiola Olawale
The race for the Anambra State governorship election, slated for November 8, 2025, is set to intensify as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of candidates.
According to INEC’s announcement, campaigns will officially commence on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, and conclude at midnight on Thursday, November 6, 2025, in line with Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022.
The final list featured prominent candidates, including incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), George Moghalu of the Labour Party (LP), Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jude Ezenwafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and other contenders like Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Chioma Ifemeludike of the African Action Congress (AAC).
A total of 16 political parties submitted their candidates’ particulars by the May 12, 2025, deadline.
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by INEC’s National Commissioners and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun.
The statement reads in part: “Consequently, the Commission hereby publishes the final list of candidates that will contest in the 2025 Anambra State Governorship election.
“Sixteen out of the 19 registered parties 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. They are Accord A, All Progressives Congress APC, Action Peoples Party APP, Boot Party BP, Labour Party LP and Zenith Labour Party ZLP. No party has nominated a person with a disability as a candidate. In terms of age, the candidates range between 36 and 71 years.
“With this publication, no further withdrawal or replacement of candidates will be allowed except in the event of the death of a candidate or running mate before Election Day as provided by Section 34(1) of the Electoral Act.
“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.
“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.”
INEC also declared that all parties and candidates must be given unimpeded access to public facilities for media campaigns, 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 commission added.
