Anambra LP in disarray as faction holds parallel gov primary

A faction of the Anambra State Chapter of the Labour Party has held a governorship primary to elect the governorship candidate of the party for the November 8, 2025, governorship election.

During the LP primary held in Awka on Thursday, a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly who represents Onitsha South Two state constituency, Jude Umenajiego, emerged as the candidate of the party.

Umenajiego polled 180 votes to defeat his rival, John Nwosu, who polled 69 votes.

He immediately announced a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly who represents Awka South 1, Henry Mbachu, as his running mate.

The acting chairman of the electoral committee, Sunday Okereke, while declaring the results said, “With the powers conferred on me by the Electoral Act 2022, and the guidelines of our party, I hereby declare and return Jude Umenajiego as the duly elected candidate of Labour Party for the November 8, 2025 governorship election.”

Umejiego, in his acceptance speech, pledged to work hard for the victory of the party, adding that the LP will use Anambra as a model to showcase the party’s plan to turn Nigeria around from a “consumption to a production” nation.

He said he is the validly elected governorship candidate of the party insisting that any other is not recognised by the LP leadership.

The LP Thursday primary has created confusion in the party as it is coming five days after another aspirant, Dr George Moghalu, had already been elected as a candidate.

Moghalu who won the primary election of the labour party last weekend after one the aspirants Mr John Nwosu withdrew from the contest has already been handed over the certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.

Moghalu has also been given the nomination clearance papers by the electoral body, while other statutory paperwork works are ongoing.

Reacting to Thursday’s primary in Awka, Moghalu described it as the height of rascality, adding that some rented crowd was paid to be enemies of the party to cause confusion in the party.

“This is the height of rescality, and it is being done by some enemies of the party and sponsored by some people who do not have the capacity to lead the party to the election.

“I have received my Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission and I have all the statutory documents as the candidate of the Labour Party, ” he said.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of INEC, Mrs Ugoma Lechukwu, described the fresh LP primary election as untrue, contending that the Commission was not aware of any fresh Labour Party primary election.

“We are not aware of any fresh primary election by the Labour Party. The Labour Party has conducted and concluded its primary election and produced George Moghalu as its candidate, and we have issued him with the Certificate of Return and other statutory materials as candidate of the party,” she said.