The Independent National Electoral Commission has published the name of Chief George Moghalu as the Labour Party’s governorship candidate for the November 8, 2025, Anambra State election, effectively affirming the leadership of Julius Abure as the recognised LP National Chairman.
Moghalu, who emerged from the Abure-led faction, secured 573 votes to defeat his only rival, John Nwosu, who polled 19 votes during the party’s primary held on April 5 at Finotel Hotel, Awka.
The exercise, monitored by INEC officials and election observers, recorded 649 delegates with 601 accredited, 592 valid votes, and five invalid ballots.
The LP, in a congratulatory message via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, celebrated Moghalu’s emergence, 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 primary’s outcome deepened an already festering crisis in the party.
On April 10, a rival LP faction conducted a parallel primary, producing Jude Umenajiego—a sitting member of the Anambra State House of Assembly representing Onitsha South Two—as its candidate.
Umenajiego scored 180 votes, defeating John Nwosu again, who polled 69 votes.
He immediately named Henry Mbachu, the lawmaker representing Awka South 1, as his running mate.
The acting chairman of the faction’s electoral committee, Sunday Okereke, declared Umenajiego as the duly elected LP candidate based on the party’s guidelines and the Electoral Act 2022.
In his acceptance speech, Umenajiego vowed to deliver victory for the LP, promising to use Anambra as a model state to actualise the party’s vision of shifting Nigeria “from consumption to production.”
He insisted, “I am the validly elected governorship candidate of the party. Any other person is not recognised by the Labour Party leadership.”
Reacting to the development, the National Deputy Youth Leader of the LP, Dr Barry Johnson, confirmed that Moghalu belongs to the Abure-led leadership, describing him as the party’s only legitimate candidate.
He shed light on the internal rift, attributing the crisis to a power struggle between LP presidential candidate Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Johnson explained that the party is now effectively divided into three camps.
The Abure camp consists of the National Working Committee; and the National Executive Council.
The Obi camp includes the Obedient Movement and the Nenadi Usman group.
The Otti camp is reportedly backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress and some elements within the All Progressives Congress, with ambitions tied to the 2027 governorship ticket and a potential 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 said.
He reaffirmed, “Our candidate for the Anambra governorship election remains George Moghalu from the Abure camp.”
