The Peoples Democratic Party has strongly denounced an alleged assassination attempt on its Anambra State governorship candidate, Chief Jude Ezenwafor, who is scheduled to contest the November 8, 2025, election.
According to party officials, gunmen ambushed and opened fire on Ezenwafor in Abuja as he was returning from an appointment, in what the opposition party describes as a politically motivated attack.
National Publicity Secretary Hon. Debo Ologunagba issued a statement condemning the incident, saying: “The Peoples Democratic Party condemns in the strongest terms the attempt on the life of its candidate in the November 8, 2025 Governorship election in Anambra State, Chief Jude Ezenwafor by gunmen who reportedly ambushed and opened fire on him in Abuja while he was returning from an appointment.”
The PDP leadership believes the attack stems from concerns over their candidate’s rising political fortunes ahead of the upcoming election. Following their investigation into the incident, party officials suggest certain interests are working to prevent Ezenwafor’s participation in the gubernatorial race.
“After a critical analysis of the violent incident, the PDP believes that certain interests who, ostensibly being uncomfortable with the growing popularity of the PDP candidate ahead of the November election, are desperate to prevent him from participating in the coming poll,” Ologunagba stated.
The party has also raised concerns about additional threats, claiming they have received intelligence about planned character assassination campaigns against their candidate. “Our Party has also been made aware of other plots by some anti-democratic elements in Anambra State to commence a series of smear campaigns against our candidate following the failure of the assassination plot,” the spokesperson added.
The incident has prompted the PDP to criticise the current security situation in Nigeria, with Ologunagba describing it as evidence of broader national challenges. “This attack on the PDP candidate is another sad commentary on the alarming level of insecurity in the country under the overtly insensitive, corrupt and abysmally rudderless All Progressives Congress (APC) administration,” he said.
Despite the security concerns, the party expressed confidence in their candidate’s prospects, with Ologunagba declaring: “In any event, our clear message to the assailants and their sponsors is that they have and will continue to fail in their evil machination as the PDP candidate is divinely destined. Our candidate enjoys the support of the people and will surely emerge victorious in the election.”
The PDP has called on law enforcement agencies to take immediate action, demanding arrests of both the attackers and their alleged sponsors. “Our Party charges the Inspector General of Police to immediately apprehend the assailants and their sponsors while also beefing up security around the PDP candidate ahead of the election,” Ologunagba stated.
In closing, the party offered encouragement to their candidate while reaffirming their commitment to the electoral process. “The PDP family urges Chief Ezenwafor not to be dispirited by the attack. The fact remains that Anambra State is home to the PDP and no amount of attack, smear campaign or propaganda will sway the resolve of our Party, candidate and the people of Anambra State to elect a transparent, humane, people-oriented and result-driven administration on the platform of the PDP,” the National Publicity Secretary concluded.
Neither the police nor the ruling All Progressives Congress had issued responses to the PDP’s allegations at the time of this report.
