The Independent National Electoral Commission has officially recognised George Moghalu as the Labour Party’s governorship candidate for the upcoming November 8, 2025, Anambra State election.
This recognition also affirms Julius Abure’s leadership as the party’s national chairman.
Moghalu, representing the faction of the party loyal to Abure, emerged victorious in the April 5 primary held at Finotel Hotel in Awka, securing 573 votes.
His only opponent, John Nwosu, received 19 votes. The election, which was overseen by INEC officials and other election observers, had 649 delegates, out of which 601 were accredited.
A total of 592 votes were deemed valid, while five ballots were declared invalid.
In a post on the party’s official 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) handle, the Labour Party celebrated Moghalu’s victory, stating, “Heartfelt congratulations to Chief Dr. George Moghalu on this historic victory! May your leadership and vision propel Anambra State to new heights. Congratulations also to the good people of Anambra State on this development! Kudos to Barr Julius Abure and his entire team for this victory. The Labour Party is marching forward with strength and determination. EluPee forward ever, backward never!”
However, the recognition of Moghalu has further exposed the widening cracks within the Labour Party. A rival faction, led by a breakaway group, held its own primary on April 10 and selected Jude Umenajiego, a current member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, as its governorship candidate.
Umenajiego received 180 votes to defeat John Nwosu once again, who polled 69 votes. Following his victory, Umenajiego named Henry Mbachu, the lawmaker representing Awka South 1, as his running mate. The faction’s electoral committee, led by acting chairman Sunday Okereke, declared Umenajiego the duly elected candidate, citing adherence to the party’s guidelines and the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
In his acceptance speech, Umenajiego asserted, “I am the validly elected governorship candidate of the party. Any other person is not recognised by the Labour Party leadership.”
Reacting to the parallel primary, National Deputy Youth Leader of the Labour Party, Barry Johnson, confirmed that Moghalu remains the authentic candidate representing the Abure-led faction. Johnson attributed the intensifying crisis within the party to a power struggle involving the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to Johnson, the Labour Party is currently fragmented into three factions. These include the Abure-led camp, comprising the National Working Committee and the National Executive Council; the Obi-aligned group, which includes the Obedient Movement and the Nenadi Usman bloc; and the Otti faction, reportedly backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress and some elements of the All Progressives Congress, with aspirations toward securing the 2027 governorship ticket and a possible 2031 vice-presidential slot.
“We were hiding this information from the media for long because we didn’t want to wash our dirty linens in public. But now, we can tell the public that the rift in the LP is due to a power tussle between Obi and Otti for control of the party ahead of 2027,” Johnson disclosed.
He concluded by reaffirming, “Our candidate for the Anambra governorship election remains George Moghalu from the Abure camp.”
