Soludo Is My Friend, I’m Ready to Work With Him — PDP Candidate Ezenwafor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2025 Anambra governorship election, Jude Ezenwafor, has pledged to collaborate with Governor Chukwuma Soludo to ensure continued development in the state.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Ezenwafor described his relationship with Soludo as longstanding and cordial, noting that he had played a role in the governor’s political journey. “I can assist him. I have been assisting him before; he is my friend. I brought him to work in Anambra,” Ezenwafor said, recalling that he encouraged Soludo to contest when he served as Senior Special Assistant to former Governor Willie Obiano.

He commended Soludo’s efforts on security, despite public criticisms, and urged him to focus on inclusivity. “Soludo and his security team are working. We have competent security chiefs in Anambra. What they need is better equipment, and insecurity will end,” he said. “I will advise Governor Chukwuma Soludo to run an inclusive government so that Anambra will be very safe and prosperous.”

Ezenwafor also addressed allegations of vote-buying that surfaced during the election, describing them as exaggerated. “Almost five political parties engaged in vote-buying. If you remove the five, you will find me. I did not buy votes,” he stated, adding that he would challenge the issue in court. Despite internal party setbacks, including claims that some PDP agents worked for rival parties, Ezenwafor accepted the outcome of the poll. “Anambra people have spoken; we will allow Governor Soludo to finish his four years,” he said.

Responding to suggestions that he was merely a placeholder candidate, Ezenwafor dismissed the notion, explaining that he had invested significantly in his campaign and had no intention of stepping aside. “Nobody will throw away over ₦80 million to clinch a party ticket just to be a figurehead. I had the intention to run,” he said, adding that his campaign was affected by an alleged assassination attempt that left him hospitalised for months.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) the winner of the November 8 election, after he polled 422,664 votes to defeat his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 99,445 votes. Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) came third with 37,753 votes, while Ezenwafor’s PDP secured 1,401 votes, placing sixth.

According to INEC, 598,229 voters were accredited out of 2,788,864 registered voters, with 584,054 valid votes and 11,244 rejected ballots. While the election was largely peaceful, reports of vote-buying and voter apathy emerged, with the EFCC confirming the arrest of three suspects. INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Queen Agwu, however, said no concrete evidence of widespread malpractice had been presented.

Governor Soludo’s victory grants him a second four-year term alongside his deputy, Onyeka Ibezim, as they await their certificates of return from INEC.