“NRM Has No Candidate in Anambra Guber Poll” — Party Chairman Rejects INEC Final List

The National Rescue Mission (NRM) has strongly rejected the final list of candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the upcoming Anambra State governorship election, insisting the party does not have a valid nominee in the race.

Speaking to reporters in Abuja on Wednesday, NRM’s National Chairman, Chief Edozie Njoku, declared: *“NRM has no candidate for the Anambra State governorship election.”* He alleged that the candidate listed by INEC, 40-year-old Ndidi Christy Olieh, along with her running mate Ogbe Ekene Reginald, were not nominated through the legitimate structures of the party and are therefore not recognized by its leadership.

Njoku, who was recently elected as NRM’s National Chairman following his departure from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), accused INEC of bypassing court orders and working with the party’s former Secretary to unlawfully submit candidates. He emphasized that neither he nor the current NRM leadership had any knowledge of those listed by INEC.

A Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier affirmed Njoku’s leadership after a legal battle over the party’s internal structure. The court, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwatu in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/45/2025, ordered INEC to recognize the leadership that emerged from NRM’s emergency national convention held to fill vacant positions in the National Executive Committee. Despite the ruling, INEC reportedly failed to comply and did not appeal the judgment.

Njoku criticized INEC’s action, saying, “INEC now went behind and got the Secretary to bring a candidate. All efforts made for the candidates to come from the right channel were blocked by the Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC.” He questioned the integrity of the process and reiterated that the party will not accept what he described as an illegality.

He expressed confidence that the proper leadership of the NRM would soon be formally recognized by INEC, after which the party would reassess its political strategy.