As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) concludes the sale of its N40 million expression of interest and nomination forms for the upcoming Anambra governorship election, no aspirant has stepped forward to purchase them.
The party had initially scheduled the sale of forms between February 24 and March 5, with a submission deadline of March 7. The governorship primary is slated for April 5, followed by an appeal committee sitting on April 8.
However, a PDP insider, who spoke to The PUNCH on condition of anonymity, revealed that aspirants are avoiding the party due to internal leadership crises.
“As of now, no aspirant has purchased the PDP Anambra governorship nomination forms. They are hesitant due to the party’s instability. The crisis has weakened the party’s influence across different levels, making aspirants cautious about spending such a huge sum,” the source said.
The crisis, which has affected the party at state, zonal, and national levels, has made aspirants uncertain about the fairness of the primary election.
To address the issue, a party official disclosed that the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) has extended the deadline for purchasing the forms to March 10 to encourage participation.
“The NWC is reviewing the issues, and a revised timetable will be made public before the end of the week. The deadline for purchasing forms has now been extended to March 10,” the source added.
Additionally, a stakeholders’ interactive session with the NWC is scheduled for March 10 at the PDP national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
The party’s internal troubles have worsened due to a leadership dispute over the National Secretary position, involving Senator Samuel Anyanwu and former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye. The Supreme Court is set to hear and rule on the case on March 10.
Further division emerged after a controversial South-South zonal congress held on February 22, which lacked the approval of PDP governors, causing friction within the Board of Trustees, National Working Committee, and National Executive Committee.
PDP’s National Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha, acknowledged the ongoing crisis but remained optimistic about the party’s prospects in Anambra.
“I am not surprised by the situation, but I know the National Organising Secretary has set the ball rolling for the governorship election,” Osuoha said.
He admitted that internal disputes and factional struggles have discouraged aspirants but insisted that PDP remains a formidable political force.
“Yes, there are unresolved issues from the congresses, but PDP has structures across the country, and these matters will be settled soon. Anambra has always been politically challenging, but things will improve,” he added.
However, PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, argued that the reluctance of aspirants is linked to a broader disillusionment with Nigeria’s electoral process.
“People are tired of investing millions in an election process that lacks credibility. Even if you win fairly, political interference from the presidency can overturn results. That’s why many are hesitant,” Osadolor stated.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that the Anambra State governorship election will hold on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
Attempts to reach PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and the National Organising Secretary for comments were unsuccessful as they neither answered calls nor responded to messages.
