Feature Report
By Chukwudi George Ozalla
In this reflective feature report, I critically examined the historical, political, and ethical dimensions of the Anambra 2025 governorship election tracing its roots to decades of electoral turbulence and urging voters to rise above fear, money, and manipulation as they head to the polls.
As Anambra State heads to the polls on Saturday, November 8, 2025, the political temperature is unmistakably high, and so are the stakes. In less than twenty-four hours, the people of Anambra will once again be called upon to determine who leads their state for the next four years. Beyond the excitement and noise that typically surround Nigerian elections, this off-cycle poll holds deeper significance. It is a test of political maturity, institutional credibility, and the collective conscience of a people long accustomed to both brilliance and betrayal in leadership.
Anambra has never been an ordinary state in Nigeria’s political map. From the days of the old Eastern Region to the creation of the present Anambra, politics here has always carried an unusual mix of intellect, emotion, and intrigue. The state has produced some of the most independent-minded politicians in Nigeria, yet it has also been home to some of the fiercest political crises in the Fourth Republic.
To understand the present moment, one must look back to the political turbulence that shaped Anambra’s democratic history in the early 2000s. The 1999 transition ushered in what many hoped would be a period of stability and democratic consolidation, but Anambra became a theatre of absurdities. The political crisis that engulfed the state between 2003 and 2007, involving a controversial governorship election, a prolonged legal battle, and the eventual emergence of Mr. Peter Obi, remains one of the most dramatic chapters in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
That episode, though painful, redefined the concept of electoral justice in Nigeria. Obi’s victory at the Supreme Court after nearly three years of legal struggle set a precedent that no mandate stolen at the ballot box was entirely beyond retrieval. But it also exposed how fragile the electoral system could be when compromised by godfathers, corrupt officials, and desperate politicians. Two decades later, that same fragility remains, though in more sophisticated forms. From the weaponisation of poverty through vote buying to the abuse of incumbency and state resources, the problems have simply evolved rather than disappeared.
Anambra’s current off-cycle election is a direct consequence of that historical journey. The state, like a few others such as Kogi and Bayelsa, holds its governorship polls outside the general election calendar because of judicial adjustments to past disputes. This off-cycle status makes Anambra’s elections more visible and often more contentious. When an entire nation’s attention is focused on one state, every action, from INEC’s logistics to the conduct of security agencies, becomes magnified. It also means enormous federal and state resources are concentrated in one place, creating both opportunities for efficiency and temptations for abuse.
It is not uncommon to see dozens of security trucks parading the streets, checkpoints dotting every major route, and hundreds of election observers and journalists pouring into the state. Yet, despite such heavy presence, Nigerians have often witnessed troubling lapses such as late arrival of materials, unrestrained vote buying, and in some cases, intimidation of voters. INEC’s assurances are typically robust before election day, but the realities on the field sometimes fall short of those promises. As one voter once quipped during a similar off-cycle election, INEC always speaks English before the vote and pidgin after it.
Anambra’s political culture itself adds another layer of peculiarity. The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, the homegrown party that has dominated the state since 2006, remains almost like a creed among segments of the populace. To many, APGA is not merely a political platform; it is a symbol of Igbo pride and regional identity, linked to the memory of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. That sentiment has often worked in favour of incumbents and APGA-backed candidates, regardless of performance. It has also discouraged serious political competition in some cycles, as many aspirants view challenging the ruling party in Anambra as an uphill task.
Yet, the essence of democracy is competition — healthy, fair, and credible competition. When a state begins to see political loyalty as hereditary and not earned through service, democracy suffers. The problem is not peculiar to Anambra. Across Nigeria, executive governors have become extraordinarily powerful, controlling not just state resources but also the political destinies of those around them. In many states, the governor’s pronouncement on who should contest or win an election is treated almost as divine instruction.
This phenomenon of overbearing incumbency undermines both performance and accountability. As a rule of thumb, any sitting governor or incumbent administration already holds an advantage going into an election. Access to state funds, security networks, administrative machinery, and influence over local structures often tilt the field heavily in their favour. In truth, any incumbent in Nigeria starts a governorship election with more than half the points already secured, not because of popular approval, but because of systemic imbalance.
It is why, in many instances, incumbents prefer to hold on to power by any means rather than risk losing it, even if that means underperforming in office. For some, it is easier to manipulate an election than to deliver genuine governance. Others, nearing the end of their tenure, focus obsessively on installing successors who will protect their legacy and, sometimes, their secrets. History shows that such anointed successors rarely bring progress; instead, they often extend the same cycle of mediocrity and patronage that has held states back.
The other critical factor is money. The monetisation of Nigeria’s politics has reached a disturbing level, and Anambra is not exempt. With its large population of traders, artisans, and struggling families, poverty has become a powerful political weapon. Vote buying, whether through direct cash distribution, food packages, or subtle inducements, remains a corrosive influence on the people’s will. It reduces the sacred act of voting to a market transaction. When voters sell their conscience for a few thousand naira, they mortgage four years of governance and development.
Candidates must therefore be reminded that elections are not business deals. Leadership, to quote the late Chinua Achebe, is a sacred trust, not a personal privilege. Those who seek to govern should appeal to the people’s reason, not their hunger. And voters, for their part, must resist the temptation to trade away their voice for temporary relief. Poverty may make resistance difficult, but dignity demands it.
The 2025 governorship election offers Anambra people a chance to reaffirm the values that once defined their politics — courage, intellect, and resilience. The state has produced some of the finest entrepreneurs and thinkers in the country, and it deserves governance that mirrors that excellence. The world will be watching closely on Saturday, not just to see who wins, but to assess whether Nigeria’s democracy is maturing or still trapped in its old cycle of manipulation and apathy.
INEC, the police, and all relevant agencies must rise above partisanship. Anambra’s peculiar status as an off-cycle election demands precision, transparency, and fairness. It would be a tragedy if after deploying massive resources, the process still ends in disputes and disillusionment. Every officer and ad-hoc staff must remember that their integrity on election day is worth far more than any bribe or pressure from political actors.
For the politicians, restraint is the truest mark of statesmanship. Power that is won through coercion or corruption rarely endures. It is time for contenders to prove that politics in Anambra has moved beyond violence and manipulation. The desperation that has characterised past elections must give way to maturity and respect for the people’s verdict.
Finally, to the people of Anambra, the power truly belongs to you. Do not allow fear, money, or tribal sentiment to define your vote. Go out, cast your ballot, and protect it peacefully. Elections are not wars; they are conversations among citizens about the future they desire. The peace accords signed in Awka and elsewhere will mean nothing if voters and politicians treat the polls like a battlefield.
History has given Anambra another chance to show leadership, not just in commerce and education, but in the practice of democracy itself. If the people rise above intimidation and inducement, and if the institutions live up to their duty, the 2025 governorship election could mark a new beginning for the state. But if the old habits prevail, then another opportunity will have been lost to the greed of a few.
The choice lies squarely in the hands of Anambrarians. They must choose wisely, vote responsibly, and keep the peace. For no victory is worth the blood of a single citizen. In the end, the true measure of leadership is not how long one stays in power, but how faithfully one serves.
*Ozalla is an INEC-accredited journalist and political commentator reporting on the 2025 Anambra State governorship election.
