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The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced that the 2025 Anambra State Governorship election will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
The commission’s chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the announcement during a consultative meeting with political parties on Thursday in Abuja.
Yakubu noted that the formal notice for the election will be published on November 13, 2024, in line with the requirements of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates that the notice for any election be issued no later than 360 days before the election date.
“As you are aware, the last governorship election in Anambra State was held on 6th November 2021.
“By the effluxion of time, the governorship election is due next year.
“Consequently, the Commission has approved that the 2025 Anambra State Governorship election will hold on Saturday 8th November 2025,” the chairman stated.
The schedule for party primaries has been set from March 20 to April 10, 2025, while the candidate nomination process will open on April 18, 2025, and close on May 12, 2025.
Political parties are expected to begin their public campaigns on June 11, 2025, and campaigning will end at midnight on November 6, 2025.
The election will take place in all 5,720 polling units across Anambra State, and INEC will soon upload the full timetable and schedule of activities on its website and social media platforms.
The INEC boss stated “In compliance with the mandatory requirement of 360 days, the formal notice for the election will be published on November 13, 2024. Party primaries will be held from March 20, 2025, to April 10, 2025.
“The candidate nomination portal will open at 9.00 am on April 18, 2025, and close at 6.00 pm on May 12, 2025. The final list of candidates will be published on June 9, 2025.
“Campaign in public by political parties will commence on June 11, 2025, and end at midnight of Thursday 6th November 2025. Voting will take place in all the 5,720 Polling Units across the State on Saturday 8th November 2025.
“In the coming weeks, the Commission will provide details of other electoral activities, including the registration of new voters, transfer of voters, and the replacement of lost or damaged PVCs,” he explained.
Meanwhile, as preparations for the Ondo State governorship election continue, Yakubu provided updates on the election, which is set to take place in 29 days.
The commission has completed 10 of the 13 scheduled activities, including the release of the voters’ register to political parties.
The collection of Permanent Voter’s Cards in Ondo State commenced on October 17 and will continue until October 29.
He emphasised the need for political parties to align their timetables with INEC’s schedules to ensure seamless preparations and avoid last-minute rushes for both the Ondo and Anambra elections.
“I urge political parties to use the INEC timetable to come up with your timetable and schedule of activities to enable us to work together and plan better for the deployment of personnel and resources for the monitoring of your party primaries and campaign activities.
“By doing so, you will avoid the last-minute rush with the attendant inability to meet deadlines,” he advised.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Yusuf Dantalle, called on INEC to ensure transparency and efficiency in the upcoming Ondo State governorship election.
Dantalle expressed concerns over the current state of the nation, highlighting the growing disillusionment among Nigerians due to the rising cost of living and political tensions, which have led to a decline in voter turnout.
He called for improved voter education and mobilization ahead of the Ondo election, urging political parties to focus on issue-based campaigns.
“IPAC will lead from the front in voter mobilisation as a major stakeholder and urges political parties and their candidates to imbibe issue-based campaigns and eschew politics of bitterness.
“The commission is required to put its act together, provide adequate electoral materials, and test run its BVAS and IReV portal to avoid undue technical hitches and glitches that will cast doubt on the integrity of the election.
“The issue of the late arrival of election materials to some polling units must be addressed to reinforce confidence in the polls,” Dantalle said.
He also urged INEC to address concerns over logistical issues, such as the late arrival of election materials and technical glitches with the BVAS and IReV portals, to prevent any doubts about the integrity of the process.
He emphasised the need for effective communication during the collation of results to avoid any perception of manipulation, as seen in past elections.
In a bold call for reform, Dantalle reiterated IPAC’s demand for the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions, describing the elections conducted by the state bodies as a “deliberate assault on the nation’s democracy.”
He proposed that INEC should take over the responsibility of conducting local government elections across the country, arguing that SIECs are often used by state governments to “coronate” ruling party candidates.
The Ondo election is scheduled for November 16, 2024.
