By 2025 Anambra governorship election
Final list of candidates published
Summary
- INEC confirms 16 political parties will contest the election scheduled for 8 November
- Campaigns officially commence 11 June and end 6 November
- Two female governorship candidates and six female running mates make the final list
Abuja, Nigeria — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates for the 2025 Anambra State Governorship election and announced the official commencement of election campaigns.
According to a statement signed by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, a total of 16 political parties met the requirements to participate in the poll slated for Saturday, 8 November 2025.
The list, which includes details of candidates’ age, gender, and academic qualifications, has been uploaded to INEC’s website and social media platforms.
The final list of candidates for the 2025 Anambra State Governorship election
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) replaced its governorship candidate after a withdrawal, while four other parties—Accord (A), African Action Congress (AAC), Labour Party (LP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)—substituted their deputy governorship candidates before the final deadline of 2 June 2025.
INEC revealed that two parties, AAC and the National Rescue Movement (NRM), are fielding female governorship candidates, while six parties are presenting female running mates. The ages of the candidates range from 36 to 71 years. However, no person with a disability is featured among the candidates.
Campaigns are permitted to begin from Wednesday, 11 June 2025, and must end at midnight on Thursday, 6 November 2025. INEC reiterated that the use of hate speech, violence, or destruction of opponents’ campaign materials is prohibited by the Electoral Act. It also emphasized that public facilities must be equally accessible to all candidates and parties for campaign purposes.
Reactions to the list on social media have been mixed. While some users, like Michael Udo, called for broader electoral reforms, others expressed concerns over perceived political interference and the transparency of INEC’s processes.
@ainamo94 alleged that the Commission takes directives from the presidency, while @DisNigeria questioned why more political parties are not being registered and called on INEC to restore public confidence.
Despite these criticisms, the Commission maintains that no further changes to the candidate list are allowed unless in the event of death, in line with the Electoral Act.
