Abuja, 19 July 2025
Jude Ezenwafor, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election, has escaped an assassination attempt after being shot by unknown gunmen in Abuja. The incident occurred on Friday night in the Wuse 2 area of the Federal Capital Territory while Mr Ezenwafor was returning home from an appointment.
Speaking from his hospital bed early Saturday morning, the visibly shaken candidate described the ordeal as a “near-death experience.” “I’m currently in the hospital. The doctors are making efforts to operate on me so that they can pull out bullets from my body,” Mr Ezenwafor said in a faint voice, amid excruciating pain. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to a private hospital for emergency treatment, where he is due for surgery to remove the bullets. Two other individuals accompanying him were also shot during the attack.
A PDP spokesperson confirmed the shooting to journalists on Saturday but declined to provide further details on Mr Ezenwafor’s health status. His media team, however, verified that he had been immediately taken to the emergency unit following the incident.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command stated that no formal report of the shooting had been received as of Saturday, but they pledged to launch an investigation to uncover more details. A source close to the PDP campaign team indicated that the matter has since been reported to the authorities, with an enquiry now underway. Security agencies have yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
The attack comes just months before the Anambra governorship election, scheduled for 8 November 2025, heightening concerns over political violence in the region. Mr Ezenwafor, a former presidential aspirant under the Labour Party who later returned to the PDP, was confirmed as the party’s flagbearer in May, alongside his running mate, Okeke Chukwudi.
This incident has sparked widespread reactions on social media and among political circles, with many expressing shock and calling for enhanced security for candidates ahead of the polls. As investigations continue, the PDP has yet to release an official statement on the implications for their campaign.
Updates on Mr Ezenwafor’s condition and the ongoing probe will be monitored closely as the election approaches.
