Moghalu vs Umenajiego: Labour Party in Turmoil as Factions Clash Over Anambra Governorship Ticket

Tensions within the Labour Party (LP) have reached a boiling point following a dramatic internal struggle over the party’s governorship candidacy ahead of the November 8, 2025 election in Anambra State. The leadership crisis took a new twist after a faction of the party, led by a controversial caretaker committee chaired by Senator Nenadi Usman, threatened to withdraw the candidacy of Dr. George Moghalu — a move that has drawn condemnation from both party loyalists and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The caretaker committee, reportedly set up by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, made headlines after Usman suggested the possibility of reviewing the party’s Anambra primaries. Speaking at a parallel National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, which was attended by a section of LP members celebrating the presentation of the Supreme Court’s Certified True Copy judgment, Usman stated that a new direction for the Labour Party was underway.

“We believe that a new Labour Party with a breath of fresh air is possible. While celebrating our well-deserved victory, it is time for all to sheathe their swords,” she said. Usman hinted that the governorship ticket issued to Moghalu would be reviewed, indicating possible changes in the party’s lineup for the Anambra election.

However, within 24 hours of Usman’s declaration, a separate faction of the Labour Party conducted what it described as a fresh primary election in Anambra State. The process resulted in the emergence of Jude Umenajiego, a sitting member of the state House of Assembly representing Onitsha South II Constituency, as a parallel governorship candidate. The announcement further escalated the party’s internal strife and threw its unity into serious question.

Dr. George Moghalu, who was declared the official LP flagbearer by the recognized party leadership and duly issued a Certificate of Return by INEC, denounced the development as a calculated attempt to sow discord within the party.

“This is the height of rascality,” Moghalu fumed. “A rented crowd was paid by enemies of the party to stir confusion and destabilize our preparations. I remain the legitimate candidate, certified by INEC, and backed by all the required statutory documentation.”

The electoral umpire, INEC, also distanced itself from the new primary organized by the factional group. According to Mrs. Ugoma Lechukwu, the commission’s Public Relations Officer, there was no official notification or monitoring of any fresh Labour Party primary in Anambra.

“We are not aware of any fresh primary election by the Labour Party,” Lechukwu stated. “George Moghalu remains the recognized candidate, and the appropriate documentation has already been issued to him. Our Anambra office monitored the official primary, and the process was concluded.”

The Labour Party's National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, echoed INEC’s position and described Usman’s caretaker committee as lacking legitimacy.

“Nenadi Usman is not a known member of our party by law,” Ifoh said. “What she did alongside Governor Otti and our former presidential candidate at Transcorp was a mere photo op. She holds no legal standing in the party, and the so-called caretaker committee is a media fabrication.”

While refusing to directly blame Peter Obi or Governor Otti for the crisis, Ifoh hinted that the events might not be coincidental and placed responsibility on an unnamed aggrieved senator for orchestrating the “charade.”

“It’s clear this is being driven by someone with personal grievances and ambitions,” he said. “The orchestrators of this chaos should already be facing legal consequences for undermining democracy.”

The unfolding drama reveals a deeper crisis within the Labour Party, which continues to struggle with internal divisions and competing loyalties in the wake of its rising popularity during the 2023 general elections. While the national leadership insists on party discipline and respect for democratic norms, factional interests appear to be fueling a parallel power struggle that may undermine its chances in Anambra and beyond.

With the governorship election just months away, political observers are watching closely to see how the Labour Party resolves this internal conflict — and whether unity can be restored before it’s too late.