The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has secured victory in both the Anambra South senatorial and Onitsha North 1 state constituency bye-elections held on Saturday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Chief Emmanuel Nwachukwu winner of the Anambra South senatorial seat with 90,408 votes, defeating Chief Azuka Okwuosa of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 19,847 votes, and Donald Amangbo of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who scored 2,889 votes.
The election was held to fill the vacant seat left by the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who died in July 2024. Nwachukwu, a former President-General of Ukpor Town Union, becomes the first from his community to occupy the senatorial position in the current democratic era.
In the Onitsha North 1 state constituency, APGA’s Barrister Ifeoma Azikiwe clinched victory with 7,774 votes, defeating ADC’s Mrs. Justina Azuka, widow of the slain lawmaker Hon. Justice Azuka, who garnered 1,909 votes. Azikiwe will now serve as the second female legislator in the 30-member Anambra State House of Assembly.
- VIDEO: Woman Claiming to Be Chris Okafor’s Former Wife Makes Explosive Allegations
- I will not be vice-president to anybody ~ Peter Obi
- Israel recognises Somaliland as sovereign state
- 70-year-old Indian woman gives birth to her first child
- Ghanaian Prophet, Eboh Noah, Builds 8 Arks, Reveals God Has Warned Him That The World Will End On Christmas Day ~ Not By Fire, But By Another Global Flood.
- VIDEO: Pregnant wife bursts into tears as husband refuses to go beg neighbour Jollof rice
Despite the peaceful conduct acknowledged by INEC, the elections were marred by violence and accusations of malpractice. The state’s Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, and Commissioner for Environment, Engr. Felix Odumegwu, narrowly escaped a mob attack in Nnewi South after being accused by angry youths of attempting to influence the process through vote-buying. They were reportedly held hostage for over an hour before security operatives intervened.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo condemned the attacks, accusing APC’s governorship candidate, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, of orchestrating the violence. The APGA National Publicity Secretary, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, also pointed fingers at Ukachukwu, alleging he sponsored thugs to disrupt the exercise.
However, Ukachukwu’s camp denied the claims, arguing that the Deputy Governor and Commissioner stormed his hometown of Osumenyi with heavily armed security operatives, prompting resistance from residents.
Despite the controversies, INEC officials commended voters and candidates for their participation, describing the polls as largely peaceful in many areas.
