News Editor
By Olu Balogun
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Anambra State, has denied speculations that the party’s pioneer National Woman Leader and Life Member of its Board of Trustees, BOT, Iyom Josephine Anenih, has tacitly endorsed the joint ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
A video of her presence in a gathering organized by the Anambra APC governorship running mate, Senator Uche Ekwunife, went viral on Tuesday with some people reporting that she has endorsed the APC ticket.
But in a statement by the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Dr. Obumneme Nnoli, and made available to our correspondent in Abuja, the party explained that Anenih remains a steadfast and loyal member of the PDP and that her attendance at the said event was in furtherance of her lifelong advocacy for increased women participation in politics and governance, not a political endorsement or defection to any party.
The statement reads in part: “The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Anambra State Chapter has been drawn to a misleading and mischievously edited video currently trending on social media, which attempts to misrepresent the presence and speech of our revered leader, Iyom Josephine Anenih, Esq., mni, FNIM, at a women’s gathering convened by Senator Uche Ekwunife in Awka on Sunday, 22nd June 2025.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Iyom Josephine Anenih, a trailblazer in Nigerian politics, the Pioneer National Woman Leader of our great party and Life Member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), remains a steadfast and loyal leader of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“Her attendance at the said event was in furtherance of her lifelong advocacy for increased women participation in politics and governance, not a political endorsement or defection to any party.
“The event, which was ostensibly themed around ‘Women Inclusion in Politics,’ was unfortunately manipulated by certain political interests to give the false impression that Iyom Anenih had endorsed a political party other than the PDP. This is completely untrue, and such narratives are both unethical and insulting to her person and legacy.
“At the event, Iyom Anenih delivered a passionate speech rooted in her decades-long commitment to advancing the role of women in public service. She reminded women that “we are not begging to be included—we are asserting our right to be present.” She challenged women to start where they are, organize, support one another, and boldly demand their space in politics.
“At no point did she deviate from her long-held convictions or endorse any political agenda outside of her well-documented mission for women empowerment.
“As a party, we maintain our respect for Iyom Anenih and respect her for the contributions to the growth of democracy. Her role in the PDP, especially in Anambra State, cannot be diminished by political propaganda.
“We call on the general public, our supporters, and members of the PDP family to disregard the misleading video making the rounds.
“We also urge political actors to refrain from dragging respected elders into partisan misrepresentations for selfish gains.
“Iyom Josephine Anenih is PDP. She remains our mother, our leader, and a champion of democratic values.”
