One Man, One Mandate: Ezenwafor Emerges PDP Candidate for Anambra Guber Race

 

AWKA, Nigeria — In a low-drama but symbolically significant political ritual, Abuja-based real estate magnate, Chief Jude Ezenwafor, has officially emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the November 8, 2025, governorship election in Anambra State.

Ezenwafor’s nomination was sealed during the PDP's governorship primary held on Tuesday at the Prof. Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre in Awka, the state capital. The primary, conducted in line with the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines, saw Ezenwafor running unopposed, having been the sole aspirant to purchase and submit nomination forms for the ticket.

Despite his unchallenged status, the process was far from perfunctory. In a display of democratic procedure, all 853 accredited delegates—including 839 elected from the 21 local government areas and 14 national delegates—were each handed ballot papers and asked to write down the name of their preferred candidate. It was a symbolic but necessary vote of affirmation, reinforcing the party’s commitment to internal democracy.

Retired Colonel Chijioke Onwubuya, who chaired the PDP national committee overseeing the primaries in Anambra, announced Ezenwafor’s emergence, declaring him winner of the exercise. “This process was transparent, participatory, and in strict compliance with the party’s constitution,” Onwubuya stated, adding that the PDP is poised for a strong showing in the November elections.

The voting exercise began with the national delegates casting their votes, followed by delegate groups from each local government area. Though there was no opposing contender, the enthusiastic participation of delegates underscored a broader strategy: rallying the party’s grassroots machinery behind Ezenwafor ahead of what promises to be a fiercely contested governorship race.

The PDP now joins three other major political parties who have declared their standard bearers for the Anambra gubernatorial election. The ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is fielding incumbent Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, whose popularity and policy reforms have made him a formidable candidate. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has nominated Prince Nicolas Ukachukwu, a veteran politician and businessman with deep political roots in the state.

On the Labour Party front, Chief George Muoghalu, the former Managing Director of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), is carrying the party’s flag, bringing to the table a blend of technocratic experience and grassroots appeal. Meanwhile, the African Action Congress (AAC) has thrown a unique spotlight on gender representation with the emergence of Miss Chioma Ifemuludike, the only female contender in the race thus far.

Observers from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were present during all the party primaries, including the PDP’s exercise, ensuring compliance with electoral guidelines and transparency in the nomination process.

Chief Ezenwafor, whose political experience includes grassroots mobilization and philanthropy within Anambra communities, now faces the critical task of uniting the PDP base and selling his vision to the broader electorate. While some critics argue that running unopposed reflects a lack of internal competitiveness, party insiders counter that it signals consensus and unity ahead of a crucial political showdown.

As Anambra marches steadily toward another high-stakes election, the field is shaping up into a diverse mix of incumbents, technocrats, political veterans, and emerging voices—each vying for the keys to one of Nigeria’s most politically vibrant states.

The race is on. And for Jude Ezenwafor and the PDP, the journey has just begun.