The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Anambra State governorship election, Nicholas Ukachukwu, says he is still gathering information from party agents before deciding on the next line of action following the declaration of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC had announced the incumbent governor and candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Professor Chukwuma Soludo, as the winner of the poll. Soludo polled 422,664 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ukachukwu of the APC, who scored 99,445 votes, while the Young Progressives Party (YPP) candidate, Paul Chukwuma, came third with 37,753 votes.
Declaring the results in Awka, INEC Returning Officer Professor Edoba Omoregie said a total of 2,788,864 voters were registered, with 598,229 accredited, 584,054 valid votes, 11,244 rejected votes, and 595,298 total votes cast.
Addressing journalists in Awka on Sunday, Ukachukwu said the 99,445 votes he received reflected the growing presence and strength of the APC in Anambra State.
He said, “From the beginning of the primary till the election proper, we made a diligent effort. The election has come and gone. I congratulate my team members and campaign council — they showed they were all gallant soldiers.
“My supporters, including my running mate, were intimidated by thugs and prevented from casting their votes in their polling units. One of our agents was arrested and detained until after the election.”
Ukachukwu alleged that the APC faced violence and intimidation during the election but still made what he described as an “impressive showing.”
“For the first time in the history of the election, the APC scored almost 100,000 votes without any inducement. They accused us of vote-buying, but can the APC candidate who is not a sitting governor buy votes?” he asked.
He further alleged that APC members were targeted during post-election violence. “Those who burnt the house of one of our supporters have not been arrested. Whatever decision I am going to take, I must carry those 99,445 voters who voted for me along,” he said.
Ukachukwu added that the result signaled the rise of APC in the state, saying, “They voted for me because they want Anambra to move forward. I must consult them. APC is here, and it’s here to stay.”
