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Anambra’s political arena erupted in fresh controversy on Monday as opposition candidates from the Labour Party (LP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) rejected the outcome of the just-concluded governorship election, insisting the process lacked credibility.
Both candidates dismissed the officially announced result, saying it did not reflect the will of the electorate.
Their swift reactions have intensified tension among party supporters and stirred public debate across the state.
However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in its final declaration, announced that Governor Chukwuma Soludo secured a convincing lead to clinch re-election.
The commission revealed that Soludo polled a wide margin ahead of his rivals in the November 8 governorship contest.
LP candidate George Moghalu expressed deep dissatisfaction, alleging that the election was marred by irregularities, including vote-buying and underage voting.
“This election is a sham, and everybody who witnessed it knows the truth,” he said while addressing journalists. Moghalu argued that widespread compromise undermined the integrity of the process.
Furthermore, he raised concerns that the Labour Party’s name appeared on the ballot without its logo in several polling units, claiming many supporters struggled to identify the party.
According to him, the omission contributed significantly to the low number of votes recorded by his party.
ADC’s John Nwosu also condemned the outcome, describing it as “a mockery of democracy.” He insisted that the electoral process was poorly managed and heavily influenced by financial inducements.
In his words, “The people of Anambra deserve better than an election guided by money and manipulation.”
Moreover, party agents from both LP and ADC reportedly submitted complaints to INEC officials at collation centres, insisting that some polling units failed to follow proper procedures during voting and counting.
Meanwhile, political analysts say the opposition’s weak performance could also be linked to internal divisions within their parties and APGA’s stronger grassroots structures.
However, the candidates maintain that structural weakness alone cannot account for what they describe as “suspicious discrepancies” in the final results.
As tension rises, observers expect the opposition parties to pursue legal action in the coming days. Both candidates hinted at possible petitions challenging the result, arguing that the people’s mandate must be protected.
With the post-election atmosphere growing more uncertain, citizens now await whether the opposition will formally proceed to the tribunal, and what impact that may have on Anambra’s political stability in the weeks ahead.