Prof. Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has been re-elected as Governor of Anambra State after securing a sweeping victory in the November 8 governorship election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the former Central Bank Governor winner on Sunday after he garnered 422,664 votes, defeating his closest rival, Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 99,445 votes.

Announcing the result at the INEC state headquarters in Awka, the Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, said Soludo met all the legal requirements to be returned elected.

Other results showed Mr. Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) securing 37,753 votes, Mr. George Moghalu of the Labour Party (LP) polling 10,576 votes, and Mr. John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) receiving 8,208 votes. Mr. Jude Ezenwafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) trailed with 1,401 votes.

Soludo won convincingly across all 21 local government areas, making him only the third governor in Anambra’s political history to be re-elected for a second term.

“I hereby declare that Soludo Chukwuma Charles of the APGA, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected,” Prof. Omoregie announced to the applause of party agents and election observers present at the collation centre.

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Governor Soludo on his re-election, describing the result as a resounding affirmation of the people’s confidence in his leadership and performance.

In a statement personally signed by him on Sunday, the President hailed Soludo for demonstrating “visionary leadership rooted in knowledge, discipline, and accountability.”

“Governor Soludo, the Solution, has shown that knowledge is indeed power and that academic principles can be applied effectively in serving the people—anchoring transparency, accountability, and the prudent management of resources,” President Tinubu said.

The President recalled his visit to Anambra in May, where he inaugurated several projects executed by the Soludo administration.

“I was impressed by the quality of thinking behind the landmark projects embarked upon by Mr. Solution,” Tinubu said. “That experience remains indelible in my mind.”

He praised Soludo for bringing “discipline, grace, brilliance, and a fresh perspective to governance in Anambra,” adding that under his leadership, the state was “living up to its motto as the Light of the Nation.”

Tinubu urged the governor to be magnanimous in victory, extending a hand of fellowship to his opponents in the spirit of unity and cooperation.

“I assure Governor Soludo of my unwavering support and look forward to continued collaboration between Anambra State and the Federal Government,” the President said.

President Tinubu also commended the newly appointed INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, and his team for what he described as a credible, transparent, and peaceful election.

He said the successful conduct of the Anambra governorship election underscored “the vitality of Nigeria’s democracy and the fact that victory for any progressive and hardworking leader can hardly be denied.”

Tinubu urged the electoral body to maintain high standards and continue to improve its processes to further deepen the country’s electoral system.

Prof. Soludo, an economist and academic who served as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria between 2004 and 2009, first won the governorship election in 2021 under the APGA platform. His administration has focused on infrastructure renewal, education reform, and fiscal discipline.

His re-election, with a margin of over 320,000 votes, is widely seen as an endorsement of his governance style and policy direction by the electorate.