Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu has emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Anambra State, after winning the party’s primary election held on Saturday through the early hours of Sunday. Ukachukwu, a former member of the Federal House of Representatives, secured a resounding victory with 1,455 votes from accredited delegates.
The APC primary, which was conducted peacefully under tight security, was hailed as one of the most credible in Anambra’s recent political history. The Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, who served as the APC’s chief returning officer, officially announced Ukachukwu as the winner, describing him as the “lion of APC in Anambra State.”
In a field of strong contenders, Ukachukwu outshone his rivals. Valentine Ozigbo, the former PDP candidate in the 2021 election, came a distant second with 67 votes, followed by Johnbosco Onunkwo with 26 votes. Edozie Madu received 8 votes, while 27 votes were declared invalid.
Out of 1,630 registered delegates, 1,582 were accredited, marking a significant turnout and engagement from party stakeholders. The returning officer, Otu, praised the conduct of both the contestants and the delegates, emphasizing that “power belongs to God” and encouraging unity within the party.
“There’s no victor, no vanquished in today’s election. Our party had already decided that whoever emerges victorious would be supported by all,” he said.
In his post-election speech, Ukachukwu thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ensuring a free and fair primary election, stating that it was the first time in Anambra APC history that such transparency had been witnessed.
“It is not a journey, but the beginning of a journey. All of us have to come together as one family for this journey. It is not going to be easy fighting the incumbent, but with a united house, everything is possible with the help of God.”
The APC flagbearer called for party unity ahead of the November 8 governorship election, where he is expected to face incumbent Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who recently secured his party’s ticket unopposed.
Ukachukwu’s emergence sets the stage for a fierce political battle in Anambra State, as the APC aims to wrestle power from APGA for the first time in the state’s political history. With the promise of a “united APC family”, Ukachukwu has vowed not to disappoint supporters and party leaders.
Having once represented Abuja Municipal at the Federal House of Representatives in 1999, Prince Ukachukwu is bringing decades of political experience into the contest, aiming to end APGA’s long-standing grip on Anambra politics.
The countdown to Anambra 2025 has officially begun.
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