Issued in Abuja: 2:00pm on Monday, 10th November 2025.
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room) observed the Anambra State Governorship held on Saturday, 8th November 2025, deploying accredited observers across the 21 Local Government Areas of the State. Situation Room also received reports from its partner organisations and networks observing across different thematic areas such as Ballot Integrity, Campaign Finance, Security, Misinformation and Disinformation, Mandate Protection and Inclusion as well as citizen observers from across the Local Government Areas of the State through its Election Reporting App deployed for the election.
Situation Room had earlier issued an interim statement on the election, and it is now making its final statement following the conclusion of the election and declaration of results.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT
Situation Room notes that the election was generally peaceful with voters conducting themselves calmly at the polling units with a few incidents of violence. Situation Room partner, Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) recorded 35 incidents of violence across the 1000 polling units it observed ranging from group clashes, voter intimidation and harassment, physical assault, ballot box snatching and 1 fatality.
While we commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Security Agencies, and other election workers for their efforts, Situation Room states emphatically that the primary drivers of the largely peaceful election were the people of Anambra State. Their collective commitment to maintaining a conducive and calm electoral environment was pivotal to the positive ambience observed across the State.
ELECTION ADMINISTRATION
INEC managed its core processes effectively throughout the election. Although, polls opened relatively late in many locations, primarily due to delayed arrival of INEC officials caused by transport companies engaged by INEC, the average opening time was 9:15am in the majority of the polling units observed. The Bimodal Voting Accreditation System (BVAS) functioned optimally in most polling units, though isolated cases of malfunction and slow voter accreditation were reported, requiring replacements.
Situation Room particularly commends the quick and drama-free results collation process, which was devoid of the irregularities typically associated with INEC’s vote tabulation and score recording at Collation Centres. If this continues in future elections, then it will be a positive and encouraging development in electoral management.
Situation Room observed that the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) came alive shortly after the official hour for close of polls and achieved 97% uploads of polling unit level results (Form EC 8A) within five hours, precisely at 7:30pm on election day. This is also commendable. Situation Room observed that Poster EC 30E for voters with visual impairment were conspicuously displayed in some of the polling units visited. However, assistive materials for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) was inconsistent and note that braille guide and magnifying glasses were not available in some of the voting locations where they were mostly needed. Priority voting was largely respected for elderly voters, pregnant women, nursing mothers and PWDs.
ELECTION SECURITY
Reports from the Situation Room observers and member organizations indicate that security agents generally managed their duties with civility throughout the election process. The Situation Room notes the visible presence of numerous senior-level security officers from both the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) deployed across Anambra State. Other security agencies including the Department of State Security, Federal Road Safety Corps etc were sighted. Another Situation Room partner, CLEEN Foundation reports that in many of the polling units visited, security personnel were present before 8:00am. Despite this strong presence, Situation Room would like to highlight the continued reluctance of security agents to take decisive actions against the widespread practice of vote buying during the electoral exercise.
The Police Service Commission was also on ground to monitor and receive reports from citizens and observers on the conduct of Policemen deployed for election duty. Security agencies continue to commit a growing number of personnel to off-cycle governorship elections. Situation Room, therefore, calls for a serious reflection on the practice of this consistent escalation in security deployment during off-cycle elections especially when welfare of the personnel become a cause for concern.
THE UNHEALTHY TRANSACTIONAL NATURE OF ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA
Situation Room is worried that our elections are continually being driven by motivations and actions that are strongly diametrically opposed to the ideals of democracy as a socio-economic political phenomenon that has its origin and destination in the service of the people. Increasingly, the dominant trait of the political class and elites in our country seems to be bordering on a Machiavellian understanding of the end ‘justifies the means’: a dangerous political philosophy that relegates the ideals and fine points of democracy as people-driven to the background. Situation Room insists that the guardrails that help define the democratic experience must not be subverted by the political elites.
In this regard, Situation Room notes that the ugly phenomenon of vote buying and vote selling, occasioned by the pauperization of the citizens have continued to thrive, and was in full swing during the 2025 Anambra State Governorship election.
Situation Room believes that if there is one social dynamic that clearly signals the failure of the political class to relatively deliver on the benefits of democracy, it is the unfortunate and continuous occurrence of vote selling by citizens who are yet to truly connect their living conditions to the activities of those to whom they sell their votes.
Situation Room once again calls on the relevant authorities and stakeholders to genuinely commit to resolving this unfortunate occurrence in Nigeria’s elections.
POLITICAL PARTIES AND CANDIDATES
The general lack of commitment to a competitive electioneering process by several political parties, was a drawback in this election.
Situation Room is therefore calling for a reform that can urgently address these issues, including putting in place the strict criteria for political parties to be on the ballot. INEC should conduct its internal review of the performance of political parties in elections since the 2023 general elections and take suitable actions to strengthen the accountability mechanisms for political parties as we head into the process of the 2027 general elections.
ABUSE OF STATE POWER
The Situation Room expresses concern regarding the continuous abuse of state power by incumbents during elections. In the 2025 Anambra State Governorship election, there was a restriction in the erection of signages, billboards and re-mapping locations for political campaigns. Campaigns in the market were banned. Elections should be seen to be a level playing field for all candidates and parties and not lopsided in favour of the incumbent candidate. This conduct is unacceptable. We therefore call for electoral reform that strictly criminalizes such abuse of state authority and resources that fundamentally undermines free and fair competition.
VOTER TURNOUT
Voter turnout was disappointingly low across the State, estimated at about 21% of PVCs collected which stood at 2,769,137. Although this was an improvement from the 10% that was recorded in the 2021 Governorship Election, this still calls for deeper reflection on how we can overcome voter apathy and disillusionment with the political process. Situation Room commends Civil Society Organisations for their voter education and mobilization efforts in rural communities ahead of the election particularly its partner, Social and Integral Development Centre (SIDEC) that carried out its sensitization activities in fifteen major markets and in the media.
CONCLUSION
The 2025 Anambra State Governorship election was largely peaceful but marred by what may be attributed to lingering public distrust in public institutions and governance. Many citizens still seemed uninterested in the process and were seen carrying on with their trading in the markets. However, there was a marked improvement from the 2021 Governorship Election especially with the political and security environment.
Situation Room calls for strict enforcement of laws that will reduce the widespread vote buying in our elections and reiterates its call on the National Assembly to quickly accelerate pending legislative actions for electoral reforms designed to enhance political participation, improve election management, and effectively address the prosecution of electoral offenses.
Credible elections remain central to democratic governance and public accountability. The lessons from the 2025 Anambra State Governorship Election must inform deeper reforms and stronger collaboration among INEC, security agencies, political actors, and civil society to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy. These lessons must be applied to the upcoming Area Council Elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as well as the Ekiti and Osun States Governorship Elections – all to be conducted in 2026.
There is also a need to take forward conversations on the credibility of the voter’s register, welfare of security agencies and voter apathy in Nigeria’s elections as we head towards the 2027 General elections.
Situation Room and its partners will continue to work and advocate for electoral accountability and ensure consistency in the quality of elections conducted in the country.
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SIGNED:
Yunusa Z. Ya’u
Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
Mimidoo Achakpa
Co-Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
Franklin Oloniju
Co-Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
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The Situation Room is made up of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working in support of credible elections and governance in Nigeria numbering more than seventy. The Steering Committee is made up of: Action Aid Nigeria, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), CLEEN Foundation, Emma Ezeazu Centre for Good Governance and Accountability (formerly Alliance for Credible Elections, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Kimpact Development Initiative, Democratic Action Group (DAG), Women’s Rights to Education Programme, Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), DIG Ebonyi, Life and Peace Development Organization (LAPDO), Rural Youth Initiative, Challenged Parenthood Initiative (CPI), Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA) and Josemaria Escriva Foundation.
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