On Wednesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the final list of candidates for the Anambra State governorship election set for November 8, 2025.
In a statement from spokesperson Sam Olumekun, INEC revealed that 16 political parties submitted their candidates’ details (Form EC9) for the upcoming election. The commission also stated that, following this publication, no further withdrawals or substitutions of candidates are permitted, unless a candidate or their running mate passes away before the election.
INEC mentioned that the deadline for submitting candidates’ details was 6 pm on May 12, 2025, but noted that political parties can replace candidates who withdraw voluntarily until June 2, in accordance with the Electoral Act 2022.
Of the 19 registered parties, 16 are participating in the election. The African Action Congress (AAC) and the National Rescue Movement (NRM) have nominated female candidates, while six parties have female running mates: Accord (A), All Progressives Congress (APC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Boot Party (BP), Labour Party (LP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). No party has nominated a candidate with a disability, and the candidates’ ages range from 36 to 71 years.
The complete list detailing candidates by party, age, gender, and educational qualifications is available on INEC’s website and social media channels.
With this announcement, INEC reiterated that withdrawals or candidate replacements are not allowed, except in cases of death, as stipulated in Section 34(1) of the Electoral Act.
Start of Campaigns
INEC also indicated that, per Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, political parties can begin their public campaigns on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, and must conclude them by midnight on November 6, 2025.
The commission reminded all political parties, candidates, and their supporters that, as outlined in Sections 92 and 93 of the Electoral Act 2022, it is illegal to use abusive language, engage in physical violence against opponents during events, or vandalize their campaign materials.
Additionally, all parties and candidates must have unrestricted access to public facilities for media campaigns, outdoor advertising, and public events.
To clarify, Section 95(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 forbids the exploitation of incumbency to benefit or disadvantage any party or candidate, as noted in the statement.
