Former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship hopeful, Paul Chukwuma, has been officially declared the gubernatorial candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) for the upcoming November 8, 2025, election in Anambra State.

Chukwuma, who recently resigned from the APC over what he described as a deeply flawed and compromised primary process, secured the YPP ticket via a consensus vote held on Thursday in Awka. The primary, attended by 374 delegates, adopted the Option A4 voting system and was described as transparent and peaceful.

The election was overseen by the party’s National Secretary and Chairman of the Election Committee, Vidieno Bamayi. Despite Chukwuma being the sole aspirant, the party proceeded with a formal vote to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and demonstrate internal democracy.

“Even though he was unopposed, we conducted the primary in accordance with our constitution and electoral guidelines. This reflects our commitment to due process,” Bamayi stated.

At the end of the exercise, Chukwuma received overwhelming support, garnering 366 ‘yes’ votes, while eight delegates voted ‘no’. He was subsequently declared the official flagbearer of the YPP.

Chukwuma’s Vision and Promises

In his acceptance speech, Chukwuma expressed deep appreciation to the party and its delegates for the trust reposed in him. He described the YPP as a party with discipline, structure, and a mission to deliver transformative leadership to the people of Anambra.

“I come before you not just as a candidate, but as someone who understands the stakes and the expectations of Ndi Anambra. The YPP is ready to redefine governance in this state. Today, we take a bold step towards real change,” Chukwuma said.

He pledged to offer visionary leadership that would position Anambra State for growth, development, and greater political inclusion at the national level. According to him, one of his core goals is to bridge the gap between Anambra and the federal government, ensuring that the state benefits from national opportunities.

“Anambra is the heart of Igbo land, and it deserves to be firmly connected to the centre. I am here to make that connection possible with YPP as the vehicle,” he emphasized.

Interestingly, despite his departure from the APC, Chukwuma signaled support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration, especially the “Hope Agenda” – a policy framework aimed at economic revitalization and national unity. He expressed confidence in aligning his vision for Anambra with the broader developmental goals of the federal government.

“I believe in President Tinubu’s vision, and I will work to ensure Anambra taps into the opportunities created by this administration. We must think beyond party lines and focus on the development of our people,” he said.

Chukwuma will face a formidable lineup of contenders in what is expected to be a highly competitive governorship race. His opponents include:

Incumbent Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo (All Progressives Grand Alliance – APGA)
Nicholas Ukachukwu (All Progressives Congress – APC)
George Moghalu (Labour Party – LP)
Chioma Ifemulike and Chidi Onyeze (Accord Party)
Jeff Nweke (Action Alliance)

With his formal emergence as the YPP candidate, Paul Chukwuma is positioning himself as a unifier and reform-minded leader who intends to take Anambra to new heights. His campaign will likely focus on inclusive governance, economic expansion, and establishing stronger ties between the state and the federal government.

The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against accepting any candidate put forward by the rival Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) for the 2025 Anambra governorship election.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the National Publicity Secretary of the Abure-led LP, Obiora Ifoh, insisted that any attempt by the Usman-led group to conduct a fresh primary election would be considered null and void. According to him, the Labour Party had already concluded its governorship primaries in Anambra State and submitted the name of its duly elected candidate to INEC, in line with the commission’s electoral timetable and guidelines.

“For clarity, the Labour Party has completed its primaries in Anambra, and the name of the winning candidate has been duly submitted to INEC,” Ifoh stated. “Any parallel primaries held by unauthorized individuals or groups do not represent the position or decisions of the party.”

This rebuttal follows the announcement by the Nenadi Usman-led NCC during its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Wednesday. The committee declared plans to revisit and possibly re-conduct the Anambra governorship primary, promising to brief party members after its internal review.

However, the Abure-led leadership dismissed this move as illegitimate and disruptive, reaffirming that George Moghalu emerged as the Labour Party’s flagbearer for the upcoming November 8, 2025, governorship election in a transparent primary held on April 5, 2025. Moghalu secured a sweeping victory with 573 delegate votes, defeating his opponent, Chuma Nwosu, who garnered only 19 votes.

Ifoh further explained that the entire process adhered to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC guidelines. “We issued the mandatory 21-day notice to INEC, conducted the primaries under INEC supervision, and have presented the certificate of return to our candidate. Everything was done transparently and lawfully.”

INEC had previously set April 10, 2025, as the deadline for all political parties to conclude their primaries for the Anambra election, as stipulated in Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act. The Labour Party claims to have fully complied with these regulations and has warned against any attempt to undermine the concluded process.

“The Labour Party leadership will not tolerate any act of sabotage aimed at derailing the democratic process. Any individual or group found guilty of sowing discord or violating party directives will face appropriate disciplinary measures,” Ifoh warned.

He called on members of the public, party faithful in Anambra, and advocates of good governance to rally behind the LP’s candidate, emphasizing that the state is in urgent need of rescue from what he described as “the current crisis of governance.”

“Among all the contenders, our candidate stands out in terms of competence, experience, and integrity, with a proven record of service in both the private and public sectors,” the statement concluded.

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has denied claims that he is planning to leave the party.

He addressed the matter during the ongoing National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, where he made it clear that he has not held any talks with anyone about leaving the party.

Obi explained that any decisions about his political future or the party’s direction would involve discussions with those working with him in the party.

He said this to clarify recent speculation surrounding his political stance, which had triggered concerns among his supporters.

Obi, who served as the governor of Anambra State, spoke directly to members of the party to clear the air.

He also stressed that he remains committed to the Labour Party and has not given any indication of moving to another platform.

His response came as members gathered in Abuja to discuss party matters and the way forward.

This comes at a time when the Labour Party is trying to stay united after a busy political season and court battles, including a recent Supreme Court decision that supported the party’s caretaker committee.