The government of Anambra State has announced a detailed programme for the second-term swearing-in of Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his deputy, Onyekachukwu Ibezim, marking the start of what is expected to be a politically consequential new chapter in the State.
According to a timetable released on Tuesday and signed by the Commissioner of Information, Law Mefor, the ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on March 17, 2026, at Dr Alex Ekwueme Square in the state capital, Awka.
The inauguration will be preceded by an interdenominational service on March 15 at the International Convention Centre, while a thanksgiving Mass is scheduled for March 22 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Invited guests are expected to be seated by 9 a.m, with accredited media required to arrive before 8 a.m. Following the oath of office, Soludo will inspect a guard of honour and deliver his inaugural address, outlining priorities for his second term.
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Soludo, re-elected on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), secured a decisive victory in the November 8, 2025 governorship election. The Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Edoba Omoregie, declared him winner after he polled 422,664 votes.
His closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), garnered 99,445 votes, while Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party received 37,753 votes.
The wide margin of victory has been interpreted by political observers as a strong endorsement of Soludo’s technocratic leadership style and a reaffirmation of APGA’s dominance in Anambra, a state known for its independent political identity within Nigeria’s federal system.
Soludo, a former central bank governor and respected economist, has positioned his administration around economic reform, infrastructure expansion and improved security. His government has popularised the slogan: “Anambra on the Rise: The Foundation towards the Africa Dubai–Taiwan,” reflecting an ambitious vision to transform the state into a regional hub for commerce, technology and manufacturing.
Supporters argue that his first term laid critical groundwork in fiscal discipline and urban renewal. Critics, however, contend that unemployment and insecurity remain pressing challenges requiring more aggressive solutions.
In its statement, the state government said the governor “remained grateful for the outpouring of goodwill messages and continued support from well-wishers across the globe,” adding that he would “immediately set out to work” after the swearing-in ceremonies.
As Soludo prepares to take the oath once more, the political symbolism is unmistakable: in a country grappling with economic volatility and governance pressures, Anambra’s second-term governor is staking his legacy on delivering results, not rhetoric.