The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that 2,802,790 registered voters are expected to participate in the upcoming Anambra State Governorship Election, scheduled for Saturday, November 8, 2025.
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee.
According to Olumekun, as part of preparations for the election, INEC conducted voter registration across all 326 wards in Anambra State from July 8 to 20, 2025. During the exercise, a total of 168,187 citizens registered as new voters.
Following the registration, the Commission allocated a one-week window July 26 to August 1 to display the preliminary voter list for claims and objections, in line with Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
To ensure the credibility of the register, INEC deployed the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to detect and remove invalid registrations. As a result, 27,817 records were flagged as double or multiple registrations and were subsequently deleted.
“The number of valid new registrants now stands at 140,370, while 5,983 citizens applied for transfers into Anambra State, making a total of 146,353 new entries into the voter roll,” Olumekun stated.
Prior to the recent registration exercise, Anambra State had 2,656,437 registered voters. With the addition of the newly validated records, the updated voter register now stands at 2,802,790.
Olumekun also provided a breakdown of voter distribution by Local Government Area (LGA):Idemili North: 246,318 voters (8.79%), Awka South: 216,611 voters (7.73%)
Ogbaru: 188,016 voters (6.71%),Dunukofia: 83,580 voters (2.98%)
Anambra West: 71,332 voters (2.55%)
He added that full details of the voter distribution by LGA have been uploaded to INEC’s official website and platforms for public access.
INEC assured all newly registered voters, as well as those who applied for transfers or replacement of lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), that their cards will be ready for collection well ahead of the election.
Providing further updates, the Commission disclosed that it has received 19 additional letters of intent from political associations seeking registration, bringing the total to 171 as of September 3, 2025.
Olumekun revealed that a shortlist of pre-qualified associations is being finalized, and the Committee on Political Party Registration has submitted its recommendations to the Commission for consideration.
However, he cautioned that the process has faced delays due to inconsistencies in some applications, including: Frequent changes in logos, acronyms, and contact details, Submission of multiple applications by the same association and
Leadership changes following defections to other groups or political parties
“We urge associations to remain patient and consistent throughout the process. The Commission remains committed to a fair and transparent evaluation of all applications,” he said.
INEC reiterated its commitment to continuous public engagement and transparency in all its activities leading up to the Anambra Governorship Election and beyond.
