By Ovat Abeng
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Sunday, declared Chief Emmanuel Nwachukwu of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) winner of the Saturday 16th August, 2025 bye-election conducted in Anambra South.
Nwachukwu pooled 90,408 votes to defeat Chief Azuka Okwuosa of All Progressive Congress (APC) who scored 19,812 votes and Donald Amamgbo of African Democratic Congress (ADC) that got 2,889 votes.
The election was keenly contested by about 16 political parties in order to replace the late occupant of the seat, late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who had won reelection in 2023 under the platform of Young Progressive Party (YPP) but later joined APC before death in 2024.
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Nwachukwu is the first APGA member to win a Senatorial poll in the zone as well as second member of the party to win a Senatorial post in Anambra State. The former President General of Ukpor will also become the first person from Nnewi South to occupy the position upon inauguration.
The first person to win a Senatorial position under the APGA platform in Anambra State was Senator Victor Umeh of the Anambra Central. Umeh won a Senatorial rerun conducted on January 13, 2018, replacing Senator Uche Ekwunife of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) whose party was barred from participating by the Court that annuled her victory at 2015 general election. Before then, elections in the three Senatorial districts in Anambra State were usually won by the PDP members except in 2011 when the former State governor, Chris Nwabueze Ngige of the Anambra Central broke the record with Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
The electoral commission also declared candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) for the Onitsha North 1 State Constituency, Barr. Ifeoma Mimi Azikiwe winner of the poll.
According to the result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer (RO), Professor Ibiam Ekpe, Azikiwe pooled 7,774 votes to defeat the candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mrs Justice Azuka, who garnered 1,909 votes.
Ekpe, who is a lecturer in the Department of Soil Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Owerri, said that the flag bearers of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Mr Ezennia Chuka Ojekwe and that of Young Progressive Party (YPP), Ms Njideka Ndiwe got 1,371 and 655 votes respectively.
The INEC RO, while announcing the result early Sunday morning, commended the contestants for their peaceful conduct and voters for turning out en-masse to exercise their franchise.
Azikiwe would be serving out the remaining two years of the late Justice Azuka who was kidnapped on December 24th, 2024, killed but his decomposing body was recovered around the 2nd Niger Bridge on February 6th, 2025.
She will become the second female legislator in the eighth Assembly upon inauguration by the Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Dr Somtochukwu Udeze. The 30th member Assembly was constituted in June 2023 with only one female legislator in the person of Hon. Nkechi Ogbuefi of Anaocha 1 State Constituency and Labour Party (LP).
