APGA tackles APC candidate over Tinubu’s mandate claim
The All Progressives Grand Alliance has challenged the assertions made by Nicholas Ukachukwu, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the 2025 Anambra governorship election, claiming that President Bola Tinubu has tasked him with securing Anambra for the APC.
Ukachukwu, who was welcomed at a reception held at the Chinua Achebe Airport in Umueri, Anambra State, on Saturday following his recent meeting with President Tinubu, reportedly made these statements while addressing APC supporters, stating that the President had directed him to link Anambra with the federal government.
He also took the occasion to introduce his running mate, Senator Uche Ekwunife, to his supporters.
“We met with the President in Abuja, and he instructed us to ‘go and secure Anambra State and connect it to the centre.’ This is a mandate, and I urge you to spread this same message to rally your people so we can link Anambra with the centre,” Ukachukwu expressed.
He continued, “Together with my running mate, Uche Ekwunife, we are capable of accomplishing this mission, but your support is essential. Share this message at the grassroots level. Don’t let anyone mislead you any longer.”
In response to these claims, Chinedu Obigwe, the National Coordinator of the APGA Media Warriors Forum, issued a statement on Sunday asserting that Tinubu never authorized such a mandate and maintaining that Ukachukwu does not represent the President or have the authority to convey his messages to the public.
Obigwe remarked, “The notion of ‘delivering Anambra’ to the APC is an unattainable goal for Ukachukwu, as the state’s governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, is poised to defeat him by a significant margin in the elections slated for November 8, 2025.”
The statement included, “Ukachukwu remains adrift in the turbulent waters of Anambra politics, and he will continue to be so until Soludo is announced as the victor of the November 8, 2025, governorship election.
“To begin with, Nicholas Ukachukwu is not an official representative of President Tinubu, which means he lacks the position to convey the President’s statements to the people of Nigeria. This responsibility lies with Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on media, along with other media aides.
“Ukachukwu should have been straightforward by admitting that he is aiming for the roles of Bayo Onanuga and Daniel Bwala. Furthermore, the task Ukachukwu claims the President assigned to him is an enormous challenge.
“He could not secure a victory in the Anambra South Senatorial election in 2023 against the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, which indicates that asking him to deliver Anambra to the APC is assigning him an unachievable task.
“Thus, even if the President did instruct him to secure Anambra for the APC, it amounts to sending him on a fruitless endeavor.
“Soludo will defeat Ukachukwu by a large margin on November 8, and the people of Anambra will staunchly resist any attempts at rigging by Ukachukwu with all their resolve.”
He affirmed that the electorate in Anambra will support Soludo and safeguard their votes to ensure the governor continues his transformative efforts for the state, making it the envy of others in Nigeria.
“With Soludo in power, Anambra is already well-aligned with the federal government, meaning Ukachukwu’s assertions about linking Anambra to the centre is merely a roundabout way of saying nothing.
“When President Tinubu visited Anambra, he approved all the proposals presented by Soludo aimed at improving the state, which serves as evidence of the positive working relationship between Soludo and the current administration.”
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