A FORMER member of the House of Representatives, Nicholas Ukachukwu, has won the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship primary in Anambra, defeating Valentine Ozigbo in the contest.
Ukachukwu became the party’s flag bearer on Saturday, April 5, by a landslide vote, ahead of the Anambra governorship election, which will be held on November 8, 2025.
He secured 1,455 votes, while Ozigbo secured 67 votes.
Johnbosco Onunkwo came third with 26 votes, while Edozie Madu polled 8 votes.
Before Saturday’s primary, three aspirants withdrew from the exercise due to violence that erupted earlier in the morning when thugs attacked some delegates, according to reports.
The aspirants who withdrew are, former federal lawmaker, Chukwuma Umeoji, Obiora Okonkwo, and Paul Chukwuma.
According to reports, Chukwuma resigned from the APC in its entirety after he withdrew from the polls, citing the presence of “unprogressive elements” in the party.
Also, confirming his withdrawal, Okonkwo expressed concern over the safety of his supporters.
“This decision to withdraw from the race was a difficult but necessary one because of some developments that are inconsistent with my principles and values. The project is not worth risking the lives of my supporters,” Okonkwo said in his withdrawal letter.
Meanwhile, in his acceptance speech, Ukachukwu said he wants to be the ‘father of the father’ as he has had a hand in the past winners of the Anambra governorship election.
“We shall deliver Anambra to the APC. One thing I want to say here; nobody has won the governorship of Anambra without my support; it has never happened before. I have been playing godfather, but now I want to be the father of the father — no more godfather,” he said.
Barring any development, Ukachukwu will be contesting for the Anambra governorship seat with the incumbent governor of the state, Chukwuma Soludo, and former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), George Muoghalu.
Muoghalu, also on Saturday, won the Labour Party’s governorship ticket ahead of the state governorship elections.
Muoghalu polled 575 votes at the party’s primary held in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
His closest rival, John Nwosu, who had withdrawn from the contest earlier on Saturday, secured nineteen votes during the election.
This was as Soludo won the All Progressives Grand Alliance’s (APGA) primary for the November 8, 2025, governorship election in the state.
The governor emerged as the flag bearer unopposed while also securing 3,168 votes from the delegates of the party during the primary on Saturday, April 5.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M