Party Crisis: PDP Fails to Attract Aspirants for Anambra Governorship

The PDP’s struggles have been compounded by a contentious legal battle over the position of National Secretary, with Senator Samuel Anyanwu and former National Youth Leader Sunday Ude-Okoye locked in a dispute. The case is set for a Supreme Court hearing and judgment on March 10.

Awka, Nigeria – As the deadline for purchasing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship nomination forms for the Anambra election lapses, no aspirant has shown interest in contesting under the party’s platform, raising concerns over internal instability.

The PDP had initially set the window for acquiring the N40 million nomination and expression of interest forms between February 24 and March 5, with a submission deadline of March 7. The party’s governorship primary is slated for April 5, followed by an appeal committee session on April 8.

A party insider, speaking anonymously, disclosed that the lingering leadership crisis within the PDP has significantly discouraged potential candidates.

“The internal instability has made aspirants hesitant to commit financially. Many are wary of investing in a party where factional struggles persist across state, zonal, and national levels,” the source revealed.

The ongoing leadership tussle has raised doubts about the fairness of the primary election process, further deterring aspirants from throwing their hats in the ring.

In an attempt to address the situation, a party official confirmed that the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) has adjusted the election timetable, extending the deadline for purchasing nomination forms to March 10.

“The NWC is actively reviewing the challenges, and a revised timetable will be officially announced before the end of the week. The deadline for acquiring forms has been moved to March 10,” the official stated.

Additionally, the party has scheduled a stakeholders’ interactive session with the NWC on the same day at its national headquarters in Abuja.

The PDP’s struggles have been compounded by a contentious legal battle over the position of National Secretary, with Senator Samuel Anyanwu and former National Youth Leader Sunday Ude-Okoye locked in a dispute. The case is set for a Supreme Court hearing and judgment on March 10.

Further deepening the crisis, a controversial South-South zonal congress held on February 22, allegedly without the backing of PDP governors, has caused rifts within the party’s leadership, including the Board of Trustees (BoT), National Working Committee, and National Executive Committee.

Despite acknowledging the party’s internal turmoil, PDP’s National Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha, expressed confidence in the party’s ability to navigate the crisis and remain competitive in the Anambra election.

“Yes, there are unresolved issues from the congresses, and they have created concerns. However, the PDP has strong structures nationwide, and these matters will be resolved soon. Anambra has always been politically complex, but things will improve,” Osuoha assured.

Meanwhile, PDP’s Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, pointed to broader disillusionment with Nigeria’s electoral process as a significant reason for aspirants’ reluctance.

“Many politicians are no longer willing to invest millions in an electoral system that lacks credibility. Even when elections are won fairly, political interference often overturns results. This discourages potential aspirants,” he explained.

Amid the uncertainty within the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed that the Anambra State governorship election will take place on Saturday, November 8, 2025.

Efforts to obtain comments from PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba and the National Organising Secretary proved unsuccessful, as neither responded to calls or messages.

As the party grapples with internal divisions, it remains to be seen whether the extension of the nomination form deadline will attract any aspirants or if the PDP will struggle to field a viable candidate in the upcoming election.