Governor Soludo,
Valentine Ozigbo, who narrowly lost the All Progressives Congress governorship primary in Anambra State, has accused Governor Chukwuma Soludo of secretly funding Senator Nicholas Ukachukwu’s campaign in order to hobble the party’s chances come November 8, 2025.
Ukachukwu secured the APC’s ticket with 1,455 votes at the April 5 primary; Ozigbo trailed with just 67.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Ozigbo claimed that Soludo, the APGA governor, met privately with him before the primary to encourage him to step aside, but then redirected resources to Ukachukwu once he refused.
“Let me make yet another allegation: Soludo is funding Nicholas to weaken the APC. And the only way we can prove this is to invite us to your show and bring a Bible to swear, because these things can’t be easily evidenced,” Ozigbo declared.
Asked if he’d congratulated Ukachukwu, Ozigbo replied, “If it was a semblance of a proper primary, I would have congratulated him. We haven’t spoken. Why would I congratulate?”
Ozigbo went on to recall his own clash with Soludo in 2021.
“I defeated Soludo in 2021. He knows why he is scared of me becoming a candidate, but I was rigged out. I have it on good authority, based on what I discovered long after it happened,” he said.
“I called Soludo back then, congratulated him and moved on, without going to court. But in this case, the wrong is so severe that I’m asking myself, should I allow this impunity to continue?”
“No. I will engage further with the party leadership. Let them convince me this shouldn’t be happening.”
Soludo has not publicly responded to Ozigbo’s latest accusations.
Meanwhile, Ozigbo questioned Ukachukwu’s track record: “Who is Nicholas Ukachukwu? How come he has never won anything since his time at the House of Representatives? Why does he show up at every election? How come the people I defeated are now the ones defeating him?”
Ukachukwu, on his part, dismissed the criticism in a separate interview, asserting that his former Labour Party rival “came from a disadvantaged position” when he defected into the APC.
Ozigbo confirmed on April 8 that he had appealed the primary’s outcome to the APC Appeals Committee, branding the process “a charade, a well-orchestrated heist designed to deliver a predetermined outcome.”
He alleged that non-members were listed as delegates, loyalists were barred or intimidated, and vote counts were manipulated.
Still, Ozigbo insists he will remain within the APC to safeguard democratic values.
“This is not just about me. It is about the soul of our democracy, about the values we claim to represent, and about the future we owe our children. I will stay the course.”
“I did not join politics to decorate the register or receive accolades. I came to restore integrity to our political system. I will stand firm, here in the APC, and I will fight this good fight to its just end,” he said.
The primary vote tallies were: Ukachukwu 1,455; Ozigbo 67; Johnbosco Onunkwo 26; Edozie Madu 8.
Three aspirants; Sir Paul Chukwuma, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, and Hon. Chuma Umeoji withdrew citing procedural opacity.
APGA’s Soludo was later confirmed unopposed with nearly unanimous support, while the Labour Party chose George Moghalu over John Nwosu by 573 to 19.
INEC has set the Anambra governorship election for November 8, 2025.
