14 men, two females in Anambra governorship race

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has officially released the final list of governorship candidates for the upcoming Anambra State election, scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 8, 2025.

A total of 16 candidates — 14 men and 2 women — will vie for the governorship seat under the platforms of various political parties.

Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, disclosed that 16 out of Nigeria’s 19 registered political parties were cleared to participate in the election following a rigorous screening process. Among the cleared candidates, only two parties — the African Action Congress and the National Rescue Movement — are fielding female governorship aspirants.

In a notable show of gender representation, six political parties are also presenting female running mates. These include the Accord Party, All Progressives Congress, Action Peoples Party, Boot Party, Labour Party, and Zenith Labour Party.

However, INEC noted with concern that none of the parties nominated a candidate with a disability, pointing to an area that still needs progress in terms of inclusivity.

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The age of the candidates ranges from 36 to 71 years, reflecting a mix of younger and more experienced contenders. INEC has published the full details of all candidates — including their names, ages, gender, academic qualifications, and party affiliations — on its official website and social media platforms for public access and scrutiny.

Olumekun emphasized that the final list marks the conclusion of the nomination process. Any further withdrawal or substitution of candidates can only be permitted in the case of death, as stipulated by Section 34(1) of the Electoral Act.

With the candidate list confirmed, political parties are now legally permitted to commence their campaign activities. Campaigning will begin on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, and continue until midnight on Thursday, November 6, 2025 — just 24 hours before election day.

INEC used the occasion to remind all political actors of their obligations under the Electoral Act 2022. Sections 92 and 93 of the law prohibit the use of hate speech, incitement, physical violence, and destruction of opponents’ campaign materials during electioneering.

Additionally, all political parties and candidates must be granted equal access to public spaces and media platforms for their campaigns. Section 95(2) of the Electoral Act also prohibits the misuse of incumbency to favour or discredit any candidate or party.

As the countdown to the Anambra governorship election begins, citizens, civil society organizations, and observers are expected to closely monitor the campaign season, which will be a litmus test for Nigeria’s democratic maturity and electoral integrity.

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