Anambra Guber Poll: NRM Drags INEC Over Alleged Imposition of Candidate

The National Rescue Movement (NRM) has raised alarm over what it described as the alleged imposition of a governorship candidate on the party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State.

The party disclosed that its legal team has been briefed to take appropriate action against INEC’s move, which it said was done without the consent of its duly constituted National Executive Committee (NEC).

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, the immediate past National Chairman of the NRM and current National Organising Secretary, Mr. Isaac-Chigozie Udeh, expressed shock that INEC, which had earlier declined to recognise the party’s NEC constituted during its emergency national convention on January 17, 2025, suddenly published a name as the party’s candidate for the election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC has fixed November 8, 2025, for the Anambra governorship election.

Udeh maintained that although INEC’s records and website still list him as the party’s National Chairman, he had stepped down from that position at the January 17 convention and now serves as the National Organising Secretary. He stressed that no candidate’s name was submitted to INEC for the Anambra election by the party’s recognised leadership.

“On January 16, 2025, we obtained a court order compelling INEC to monitor our emergency national convention scheduled for January 17. INEC was duly notified and the convention was successfully held, with Chief Edozie Njoku and other national executives elected into office. I voluntarily stepped down as National Chairman to become the National Organising Secretary,” he said.

Udeh also disclosed that on March 5, 2025, Hon. Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered a judgment directing INEC to recognise the outcome of the January 17 convention. However, he alleged that INEC defied the court order by monitoring what he described as an illegal NEC meeting on January 27 and another purported emergency national convention on April 14, 2025.

“Despite being duly served with the court order and judgment, INEC rejected all our letters notifying them of legitimate party activities ahead of the Anambra election and instead monitored an illegal governorship primary organised by Mr. Chinedu Obi, the party’s National Welfare Officer,” Udeh stated.

He accused some INEC officials of deliberately sabotaging the NRM’s internal processes and violating provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, which stipulate how political parties should submit candidates’ lists to the electoral body.

“It is abundantly clear that the name listed by INEC as NRM’s candidate for the Anambra governorship poll lacks the approval of our duly recognised National Chairman, Chief Edozie Njoku, and myself, whose name still appears on INEC’s website,” he said.

Udeh further alleged that the signatures presented on the documents submitted to INEC were forged, questioning how his and Njoku’s signatures could have been affixed without their knowledge or approval.

“This is contrary to the law. No person other than the recognised party leadership has the authority to sign or validate the party’s candidate nominations,” he added.

The NRM chieftain said the party’s legal counsel has been briefed to take appropriate steps to address what he termed “a very disturbing development.”

“We urge Nigerians to hold public officials accountable as part of their civic responsibility. No one should shy away from this duty,” Udeh concluded.