The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced decisive victories in weekend bye-elections in Nigeria’s southeastern Anambra State, with candidates from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) securing key legislative seats. Chief Emmanuel Nwachukwu of APGA won the Anambra South Senatorial District election, while Barrister Ifeoma Mimi Azikiwe claimed the Onitsha North 1 State Constituency seat. Both contests, held to fill vacancies caused by the deaths of incumbents, have drawn attention as potential indicators of voter sentiment ahead of November’s gubernatorial election.
Nwachukwu, a former community leader from Ukpor, garnered 90,408 votes—over four times the tally of his closest rival, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Azuka Okwuosa, who secured 19,812 votes. Donald Amamgbo of the ADC trailed with 2,889 votes in a race featuring candidates from 16 political parties. The election filled the seat left vacant by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who was first elected in 2019 under the Young Progressives Party (YPP), re-elected in 2023, and later defected to the APC before his death in 2024. Nwachukwu’s victory marks a historic milestone as the first legislator from Nnewi South Local Government Area to represent the district.
In Onitsha North 1, Azikiwe, scion of the prominent Ikpeazu family, clinched the state assembly seat with 7,774 votes, far outpacing ADC contender Justina Azuka, who received 1,909 votes. The by-election followed the killing of Azuka’s husband, the constituency’s former representative, who was abducted on Christmas Eve 2024. His remains were discovered months later near the Second Niger Bridge, a major infrastructure project linking Anambra and Delta states. APC candidate Ezennia Chuka Ojekwe and YPP’s Njideka Ndiwe secured 1,371 and 655 votes, respectively.
Electoral officials confirmed results Sunday, with INEC’s returning officer, Prof. Ibiam Ekpe, emphasizing procedural transparency. Analysts suggest the contests reflect shifting alliances and localized voter priorities in a state historically dominated by APGA. The outcomes also spotlight concerns over political violence, with the unresolved murder of Onitsha North’s late lawmaker underscoring persistent security challenges.
The results arrive less than three months before Anambra’s gubernatorial poll, where parties will vie to lead one of Nigeria’s most economically vibrant states. Observers note that APGA’s strong performance in these by-elections—coupled with APC’s underwhelming showing—could signal broader trends, though voter turnout dynamics and regional loyalties may evolve ahead of November. For now, focus turns to the newly elected lawmakers’ pledges to address infrastructure deficits, unemployment, and insecurity, issues that dominated campaign discourse across both districts.
