Twenty-six persons have signified interest to contest the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary in Anambra State.
The state party chairman, Mr. Ben Emeakayi, stated this in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said the number was arrived at following the end of the collection of Expression of Interest forms by the aspirants.
According to him, each of the forms costs N1m, while the governorship form costs N5m.
Emeakayi said, "As we speak, there are 26 aspirants that have shown interest in contesting the governorship election in the state.
"I do not know whether all of them would go and pick nomination form or not, but all of them have picked the Expression of Interest forms from the party.
"The race is like football. Some of them can decide not to finish the race, while some will insist on running. But at the end of the day, only one candidate will emerge to contest the election."
Emeakayi, who said the party had no consensus candidate for the November 16 poll, added that all aspirants would go through the primary.
On the defection of a former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, to the All Progressives Grand Allinace, Emeakayi said, "Before Soludo came on board, PDP had been winning election in Anambra State. We won many elections before his own election; his exit is not the end of PDP."
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission has promised to prosecute individuals and groups involved in multiple registrations in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving members of a coalition of youth organisations.
The Punch