Anambra State – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared candidates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winners in both the Anambra South Senatorial District and the Onitsha North Constituency 1 State Assembly by-elections held on Saturday, August 16.
The official results, announced on Sunday, August 17, in Nnewi and Onitsha, mark a significant win for APGA — and a political setback for Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who had thrown his weight behind African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidates ahead of the polls.
APGA’s Nwachukwu Clinches Anambra South Senatorial Seat
In Nnewi, INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Frank Ojiako, announced Chief Emmanuel Nwachukwu of APGA as the duly elected senator for Anambra South.
Nwachukwu secured a landslide 90,408 votes, defeating:
Chief Azuka Okwuosa of the APC – 19,847 votes
Donald Amangbo of ADC – 2,889 votes
“Emmanuel Nwachukwu of APGA, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared winner and returned elected,” Prof. Ojiako stated.
The by-election followed the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who served from July 2023 to July 2024.
Azikiwe Wins Onitsha North State Assembly Seat for APGA
In a separate result from Onitsha, Ms. Ifeoma Azikiwe of APGA was declared winner of the Onitsha North Constituency 1 seat in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
According to Prof. Ibiam Ekpe, INEC’s returning officer, Azikiwe garnered:
7,774 votes (APGA)
1,909 votes – Mrs. Justina Azuka (ADC)
1,371 votes – Ezennia Ojekwe (APC)
655 votes – Njideka Ndiwe (YPP)
The seat became vacant after the tragic kidnapping and death of former lawmaker Justice Azuka. Azikiwe will serve out the remainder of his legislative term, estimated at two years.
Peter Obi’s Backing of ADC Ends in Defeat
In the lead-up to the elections, Peter Obi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate and a prominent figure in the Obidient Movement, publicly endorsed ADC candidates due to internal crises within the Labour Party that left it without INEC-recognized nominees.
In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) page on August 14, Obi urged supporters:
“Kindly note that the Labour Party has no candidates recognised by INEC due to the internal crisis. I humbly urge every member of the Obidient and COPDEM families to go out and vote for the coalition political party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in their respective states.”
Despite the endorsement, ADC candidates in both constituencies performed poorly, finishing third in the senatorial race and second in the state assembly contest — far behind APGA’s dominant showing.
The results are widely seen as a test of Peter Obi’s political influence in his home state following the 2023 general election, and they may shape alliances ahead of the 2027 polls.
