PDP Suspends Anambra Governorship Candidate Over Campaign Sabotage and Anti-Party Activities

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State has taken the extraordinary step of suspending its own governorship candidate, Mr Jude Ezenwafor, barely four days after the state’s gubernatorial election. The one-month suspension, announced on Tuesday following a State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting at the party’s Awka office, stems from allegations of deliberate sabotage, non-cooperation, and conduct deemed destructive to the party’s interests. The decision marks a dramatic fall from grace for Ezenwafor, whose candidacy appears to have ended in what party officials describe as unprecedented dysfunction and betrayal.

Campaign of Non-Participation: Candidate’s Absence Raises Alarms

Mr Chidi Chidebe, the Anambra PDP chairman, revealed that Ezenwafor’s troubling behaviour had been evident throughout the campaign period, with the candidate exhibiting what the party termed “uncooperative and outrightly destructive” attitudes. Most significantly, party records indicate that Ezenwafor failed to conduct campaign activities in any ward, local government area, or across the state during the entire electioneering period leading up to the November 8 election. This complete absence from the campaign trail raised serious questions about his commitment to the party and the electoral contest itself.

The party’s concerns extended beyond mere absenteeism. According to Chidebe, the SEC had documented instances of Ezenwafor allegedly colluding with candidates from rival political parties to deliberately undermine PDP’s chances in the election. The candidate also reportedly fabricated stories of assassination attempts and engaged in what the party described as extortion of genuine party members, including his own running mate. These allegations paint a picture of a candidate working actively against his own party’s interests, prompting the SEC to convene an emergency meeting to address the crisis.

Further compounding the party’s grievances, Ezenwafor allegedly established what officials termed a “parallel gang of impostors,” consisting mostly of non-PDP members, who unlawfully interfered with legitimate party functions. This shadow operation reportedly sought to supplant the authority of elected party officials and disrupt the organizational structure that the PDP had built in the state. The party leadership viewed these actions as not merely incompetent campaign management but as deliberate attempts to destabilize the party from within.

Electoral Disaster: One Vote in Home Ward Exposes Candidate’s Credibility Crisis

The full extent of Ezenwafor’s dysfunction became starkly apparent in the election results. The PDP secured a mere 1,401 votes statewide, placing sixth among sixteen political parties that contested the governorship race. However, the most damning statistic emerged from Ezenwafor’s own polling unit in Nnobi Ward 3, Idemili South Local Government Area, where he managed to secure only a single vote despite the ward containing twelve polling units. Party officials described this performance as “the worst result for PDP in any ward across the state,” viewing it as irrefutable evidence of the candidate’s lack of character, credibility, and commitment.

Recognizing the candidate’s incapacity and apparent disinterest in campaigning, the PDP SEC took matters into its own hands on November 7, convening an emergency meeting with all Council Executive Committee members. The leadership directed these officials to mobilize support for PDP candidates in their respective areas, essentially bypassing the gubernatorial candidate entirely. According to Chidebe, this grassroots intervention by party officials was “the major reason our party was able to secure” the 1,401 votes it ultimately received, suggesting that without local party workers’ efforts, the result could have been even more catastrophic.

The party has announced it will not contest the election outcome in court or through any other legal avenue, effectively accepting the results and moving forward with internal reforms. This pragmatic decision appears to reflect an acknowledgment that the party’s poor performance was largely self-inflicted due to the candidate’s conduct rather than resulting from electoral malpractice or irregularities beyond the party’s control.

Disciplinary Action and PDP Rebuilding Efforts

In announcing the suspension, the PDP SEC emphasized that the decision was taken “after due deliberation” and in accordance with party procedures. Ezenwafor has been referred to the State Party Disciplinary Committee for further investigation and recommendations, suggesting that additional sanctions may follow the initial one-month suspension. The SEC has formally notified the National Working Committee (NWC) of the suspension and advised against granting Ezenwafor or his collaborators any recognition or access, warning that their activities are “clearly aimed at destabilising the party.”

The Anambra PDP leadership has vowed to use this crisis as an opportunity for renewal, expressing determination to “rebuild and reposition the party under the leadership of Amb. Umar Damagum,” the acting national chairman. Party officials stressed their commitment to upholding party discipline, unity, and the principles of internal democracy, signaling that future candidates will face greater scrutiny and accountability measures. The party appears intent on ensuring that the Ezenwafor debacle serves as both a cautionary tale and a catalyst for organizational reform.

Efforts to obtain a response from the suspended candidate proved unsuccessful, as his phone line was reportedly switched off following the announcement. This silence has left many questions unanswered about Ezenwafor’s version of events and whether he will contest the suspension through the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms. As the party moves forward with its disciplinary process, the Anambra PDP crisis stands as a remarkable example of internal party dysfunction and the consequences of fielding candidates who appear fundamentally opposed to their own party’s success.