Dr. George Moghalu
The Labour Party (LP) candidate in the 2025 Anambra State governorship election, George Moghalu, has refused to challenge his defeat in court, questioning the effectiveness of electoral litigation in Nigeria.
In an interview with Daily Sun, Moghalu alleged widespread vote-buying and manipulation during the election, claiming the process was “totally monetized” and some results were “fictitious, comprehensively written.” Moghalu, a founding member of the ruling APC who defected to Labour Party to contest the governorship, said he could not compete financially and expressed disappointment that voters “appeared more comfortable in servitude” and seemed uninterested in change. He said he is now consulting widely about his political future, leaving open the possibility of returning to APC.
Have you taken stock after losing the Anambra governorship election to know what happened?
We had a very robust campaign, reached out to as many electorates as we can. But the electoral process was unfortunate. It is not about the person. It is not about the message, but rather about how much you can offer. The entire process was so monetized and it confirmed my position that the political leadership today has weaponized poverty to the extent that the electorate is more concerned about what they can get in the immediate. That is exactly one of the things we found out that played out in the course of the Anambra governorship election.
We didn’t have the money. I can’t procure votes. Personally, is against my belief and at the same time, I also don’t think one should pay people for their votes. I don’t think it is the right thing to do. I believe that people should support me based on what I can offer or who I am, looking at my track record, so that they can make an honest assessment. But when it became so monetized, there was nothing I could do.
What exactly was the first shock you had?
I had no shock. I would rather say that I had great disappointment, disappointment in the fact that even the people you are fighting to protect appeared not to be interested in being protected.
They appeared to be more comfortable in servitude, they appeared to be helpless, and they appeared to believe that the process cannot be changed. It looks as if they believe that; so why waste the time? Why waste the resources? Why waste the effort? In most cases, the elections are predetermined either by the support base of those in leadership or the resources available for the person seeking election. So, it is unfortunate, but I wasn’t shocked.
Did you expect the results you got?
What did you expect, if not what we saw? Apart from the fact that the electoral process is being monetized, it was totally manipulated. There were instances where results were fictitious, comprehensively written. But what do you do in such a situation?
At what point did you give up?
I didn’t give up. I would never have given up. I have never chickened out in anything I am doing; never. I would rather take it to the end so that I can make an honest assessment of what played out. If you chicken out, you will not be able to have an honest assessment of the result.
When I am putting down my memoir, I should be in a better position to say, this is what I observed, this is what I did. Were you able to do what you are supposed to do as a candidate? Did you reach out to as many people as you were expected to reach? Did you provide resources to be used for those things that are supposed to be funded? Mark my words, supposed to because you are supposed to provide logistics in terms of transport, in terms of paying agents, in terms of doing the usual campaign in terms of transport.
Those things were all done, but you see that election, as it is today, is being determined on the date of election, how much you are able to pay, or how much you can deploy? And what do you expect from those of us who don’t have this response, those kinds of resources?
I have never had any regret. I have had opportunities where I was made mouth-watering offers but I rejected them, because we are talking about the credibility I have built over the years that I intend to sustain. There is one thing I learnt from my father, which I always tell my children and which I want them to carry as they go along. I always tell my children to remember whose son or daughter they are and that before they make any decision, they should ask themselves whether it will please their parents. Would they feel embarrassed by this decision, or will they congratulate themselves for making the decision?
Why didn’t you go to court to contest the outcome of the election?
Why should I go to court to hear the same story? Can you, please, tell me how many people have lost or won their cases in court since 1999 to date? How would my own be different? More so, I don’t have the money to fund it.
What is next for you?
I am consulting very widely. You know, my political trajectory is such that I am somebody who is guided by what God says, because I believe so strongly that power belongs to God and He gives to whom He pleases at his own time. There are many ways to serve our people. The only option left for me is not to be a governor. I desire to be governor. I know what I want to do if given the opportunity as a governor but, if it hasn’t materialised, to God be the glory.
If you check my political history, this is the first time I am decamping from my party to another political platform. I went there strictly for a purpose, and that principal purpose is to actualise my ambition to be governor. Many people, friends, colleagues and supporters, moved with me from my former party, the APC, to the Labour Party. It will be most unfair if I take any decision without consulting such people. So, I want to use the Christmas-New Year period to do quite a lot of wide consultation.
I know how many phone calls and visitations I have received immediately after the election and up to recently, when a delegation came from Anambra to talk with me. A lot of them are expecting me to give them directions. I need to consult very widely before I now tell them the next step. Fortunately, this is the season of the year we need to do a lot of reminiscing, sleep over, and consult widely, so we will start on a new slate.
What do you tell those saying that you didn’t seek the blessings and endorsement of the Presidency before going into the election?
I have a good relationship with Mr President, with everybody in the presidency, and with all political leaders. The truth about me is that I believe very strongly that, in politics, you don’t have permanent enemies or friends, and I can also tell you in all honesty that the President did not go out to stop me.
So, talking about seeking the face of Mr. President, I would wish to have his endorsement, as anybody would. I wished to have the endorsement of everybody in the National Assembly. I was betrayed by some of them in my party. But be that as it may, it is their wish.
I have no regrets, no apologies for the President not coming out to endorse me. But, have you read his mind, have you asked him privately to know whether he was supporting me prayerfully? You never can say he may be supporting me prayerfully, and he may have wished that I become the governor. I have worked with him previously. He knows me. When we formed the APC, I was there. I was among the founding members of the APC. I didn’t join APC. I was a founder. Don’t mind those making noise today. I was a founder.
Since APC is now in the driving seat completely, to the point that people are saying it is going to be a one-party state, in retrospect, will you cast a stone on yourself over the regrettable circumstances that led to your leaving the party?
A lot of people are defecting to the APC now, but it has happened before. There was a time in this country when about 29 states were under the PDP. If you remember, Vincent Ogbulafor, may his soul rest in peace, said that PDP will be in power for 60 years, uninterrupted. At that time, everyone said, oh, it was a one-party state. Where is PDP today? Did they survive for 15 years, let alone 60 years? The story has changed.
If you have the opportunity, will you return to the APC?
Let me finish my consultation. It is about the people. My politics is not about me. It is about the people.
What is your general impression about the build-up to the 2027 presidential and general elections?
My impression is that it is going to be a very hot contest. It is going to be a hot contest. But if you asked me to advice, I will say that the opposition needs to put their act together, if they want to be formidable in 2027.
For you to defeat any incumbent, there must be a formidable opposition. And one thing you do to achieve a formidable opposition is that ambitions will be relegated to the background. There must be unity of purpose. There must be a conviction of why. And by the time we put all these factors together, have a strong emotion, they will become formidable opposition.
What are those fears you envisage in 2027 that you may call the red flags
The year 2027 will come like any other election year. There is no doubt about that. But it is about us, the political class, to really tell ourselves the truth. What do we want to achieve? For me and for a lot of people, winning or losing an election is immaterial. What is of greater concern is the process.
INEC must live up to its responsibility. INEC was determined and committed to deliver to Nigerians free, fair, credible, and transparent elections. The government, on its part, will also stand firm to justify the confidence of the Nigerian people.
Do you see any upset in 2027 especially the presidential election?
One responsibility I have never arrogated to myself is that of a soothsayer or a native doctor. These two I have never claimed to be. So, I cannot forecast. Who told you that all of us will be alive till 2027? It has happened before. It is not rocket science. People have projected to win the election, worked hard to win the election, and at the nick of time, they died.
What is your assessment of INEC in the 2025 electoral year?
The truth about it is that it will be most unfair if I write off INEC with the new leadership that just resumed. Their first outing is the Anambra State election. I still have my reservations with regard to the role it played. If INEC lived up to its full responsibility, vote purchase wouldn’t have happened. If the security agencies were living up to their responsibility, the vote purchase would not have happened.
For me, INEC is still a work in progress. The problem is not about the laws; it is about implementing the laws. We can make all the beautiful laws and rules in the world; the point is to what extent we are sincere in implementing them.
So, INEC has a responsibility to Nigerians. One thing is to take office; the other is to justify the position you occupy. They have a strong role to play. And let me tell you, God will not forgive INEC if they frustrate Nigerians. God will not forgive the commission if they continue the way they are going.
Do you feel sad with what is happening in the Labour Party?
It is very unfortunate because the best thing that can happen to any political party is internal democracy being strong and viable, making the platform acceptable to people, otherwise we have no purpose of being in existence.
