Anambra 2025: Only 12 Out of 19 Parties Sent in Schedules of Primaries, Says INEC

•APC settles for indirect primaries 

•PDP aspirants yet to purchase guber forms

Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),has revealed that only 12 out of the 19 registered political parties had submitted detailed schedules of their primaries, ahead of the Anambra State governorship election scheduled to hold on November 8, 2025.

This was as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has adopted the indirect mode of primary to elect the candidate of the party for the election.

At the same time, all Anambra State governorship aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP had agreed to suspend their suspense of purchase of nomination governorship forms pending the Supreme Court resolution of who was the authentic national secretary.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement, urged the seven parties that were yet to submit the required information to do so immediately.

He recalled that in line with the provision of Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission published the Notice of Election on 13th November 2024, over 360 days before the date fixed for the election.

Olumekun explained that by the provision of the timetable and schedule of activities for the election, the conduct of primaries for nomination of candidates by political parties commences in the next two weeks — 20th March 2025 and ends on 10th April 2025.

“As agreed at our last consultative meeting with Political Parties held in January, doing so early will enable the Commission to plan for the effective monitoring of the primaries in line with the provision of Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022.

“The seven parties that are yet to submit the required information are hereby reminded to do so in earnest,” he said.

The commission also urged political parties to adhere strictly to their proposed schedules, saying sudden changes to the dates, venues and modes of the primaries lead to avoidable demobilisation and remobilisation of monitoring staff, thereby disrupting the Commission’s workflow.

APC Settles for Indirect Primaries

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has adopted the indirect mode of primary to elect its governorship candidate for 2025 Anambra governorship election.

National Secretary of the party, Senator  Ajibola  Bashiru, made this known while addressing newsmen at the end of the NWC meeting held at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

He stated, “Our meeting also considered the processes in the ongoing Anambra governorship election which is scheduled to be held by November 8, 2025.

“The national working committee of the party took cognizance of the fact that advertisement had been made and it seems the advertisement was seemingly projecting that the NWC had adopted direct mode of primary, but in actual fact no positive resolution of the NWC had been taken before today as to the mode of primary.

“At the NWC today it was put into consideration and now formally decided that the mode of emergence of the candidate for that election will be through indirect primary.”

Bashiru added that the NWC would convene a stakeholders meeting with the State Working Committee, state caucus and all the aspirants  next Tuesday at the national headquarters of the party.

PDP Aspirants Suspend Guber Forms Until S’Court Verdict on National Secretaryship

All Anambra State governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had agreed to suspend their purchase of governorship nomination forms pending the Supreme Court resolution on who is the authentic national secretary.

Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye are laying claims to the office of the national secretary. Moreover, the office of the national secretary is a signatory to the submission of the nomination forms to the independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The supreme court has adjourned to March 10 to adjudicate on the authentic National Secretary.

It was against this backdrop that all the governorship aspirants had snubbed the collection of nomination forms, awaiting the Supreme Court directive on the authentic national secretary, because the office of national secretary was recognised and statutory signature to the nomination forms.

The PDP had initially scheduled the sale of forms between February 24 and March 5, with a March 7 deadline for submission.

The Anambra PDP governorship primary is set for April 5, followed by an appeal committee sitting on April 8.

Inside sources confirmed that aspirants were avoiding the party due to internal crises.

A reliable source said the ongoing leadership crisis had made aspirants hesitant to invest in the 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,” he stated.

PDP National Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha, acknowledged the party’s crisis but remained optimistic about its chances in Anambra.

“I am not surprised by the situation, but I know the National Organising Secretary has set the ball rolling for the governorship election,” Osuoha stated.

Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, argued that the wider disillusionment with Nigeria’s electoral process was the main reason aspirants were reluctant to contest.

“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,” Osadolor stated.

Meanwhile, INEC has confirmed that the Anambra State governorship election would be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025.