The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) finds itself in a precarious position as the deadline for purchasing its N40 million expression of interest and nomination forms for the Anambra governorship election elapsed without a single aspirant stepping forward. This development, first reported by Punch Newspaper on its official X handle, highlights the deep-seated internal crisis plaguing the party.
The party had initially scheduled the sale of forms from February 24 to March 5, with a March 7 deadline for submission. However, despite these arrangements, no contender has shown interest, raising concerns about the PDP’s viability in the upcoming election. The Anambra PDP governorship primary is set for April 5, with an appeal committee sitting slated for April 8.
An anonymous PDP insider confirmed to Punch that the party’s internal discord has discouraged aspirants from investing in its platform.
> “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 revealed.
The PDP’s woes are largely attributed to ongoing leadership battles at the state, zonal, and national levels, which have eroded confidence in the party’s ability to conduct a fair and credible primary. The most contentious issue remains the dispute over the National Secretary position, with Senator Samuel Anyanwu and former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, locked in a fierce legal battle. The Supreme Court is set to deliver its verdict on the matter on March 10.
Further complicating matters, the controversial South-South zonal congress held on February 22—allegedly without the approval of PDP governors—has deepened rifts within the party’s key decision-making bodies, including the Board of Trustees (BoT), National Working Committee (NWC), and National Executive Committee (NEC).
Faced with an embarrassing lack of aspirants, the PDP National Working Committee has revised its election timetable, extending the deadline for purchasing nomination forms to March 10. This move is seen as an attempt to salvage the situation and 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,” a party official disclosed.
Additionally, a stakeholders’ interactive session with the NWC is scheduled for March 10 at the PDP national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, to address the concerns of party members and potential aspirants.
Acknowledging the crisis, PDP National Deputy Legal Adviser Okechukwu Osuoha admitted that factional struggles and litigation have weakened the party but remained optimistic about its future in Anambra.
> “I’m not surprised by the situation, but I know the National Organising Secretary has set the ball rolling for the governorship election. Yes, there are unresolved issues from the congresses, but PDP has structures across the country, and these matters will be settled soon,” Osuoha said.
However, PDP Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor painted a grimmer picture, attributing the lack of interest not just to internal issues but also to the general disillusionment with Nigeria’s electoral system.
“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,” he argued.
Amid PDP’s struggles, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed that the Anambra State governorship election will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025. Whether PDP can resolve its internal crisis and field a formidable candidate before then remains to be seen.
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.
With the PDP in turmoil, the big question remains: will the party recover in time to mount a serious challenge in Anambra, or is it paving the way for its political rivals to take center stage?
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