- This Brand Of Thuggery Must Not Be Allowed To Go Unchallenged – APC delegate
- Three Governorship Aspirants Step Down From Race
- PDP shifts Its Governorship Primary to April 8
- Abure’s Sack Will Restore Peace, Order In LP – Otti
The political winds in Anambra State are shifting, and with the November 8, 2025, governorship election fast approaching, the heat is on.
Over the weekend, the state’s capital, Awka, became a hive of political activity as major parties rolled out their governorship primaries—some smooth, others marred by chaos.
Two prominent candidates have now emerged as front-runners in what is gearing up to be a high-stakes political showdown: incumbent governor Professor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Chief George Muoghalu of the Labour Party (LP).
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) saw its own primary descend into confusion and violence, casting a dark cloud over its internal democratic process.
A witness narrated how a male delegate was visibly rough-handled by the attackers in full view of security personnel and other delegates. The development has raised serious concerns about the integrity and fairness of the ongoing primary process.
“This is a serious matter,” said one observer who asked not to be named due to safety concerns.
“It’s not just thuggery anymore; there appears to be active collusion with security forces meant to protect us.
“The APC leadership must act decisively to ensure the safety of delegates and uphold the credibility of the process.
“This kind of thuggery cannot be allowed to go unchecked,” the observer said.
Matrix.com gathered that the incident has triggered rapid disillusionment and anger among rival aspirants’ supporters, many of whom were seen storming out of the venue in frustration.
Valentine Ozigbo [Twitter-@valyntino]
Dr Valentine Oliobi, the Anambra State Publicity Secretary of the APC, confirmed the troubling development to reporters.
“Yes, it is true. Delegates are being stopped at the gate by Nicholas Ukachukwu’s people, and the police are cooperating with them. It is not what the party stands for,” he said.
The Valentine Ozigbo Campaign Organisation has also condemned the alleged violence and exclusionary tactics that have characterised the Anambra APC primary election.
Campaign spokesperson, Ephraim Adiele, who spoke on behalf of Ozigbo, decried what he called an attempt to “hijack the primary” through intimidation and force.
“We reject the politics of violence and call for a level playing field,” Adiele condemned in strong terms.
“Clearly, Nicholas Ukachukwu is seeking to hijack the primary. It cannot stand. The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) should act now to prevent crisis.”
Several efforts to contact Ukachukwu’s camp on this allegation failed as his campaign spokesperson was not reachable.
The unfolding events have cast a shadow over the integrity of the party’s primary process, which is considered pivotal in determining the APC’s fortunes ahead of the November 2025 Anambra governorship election.
Party stakeholders are now calling on the APC’s national leadership to urgently intervene, ensure the safety of delegates, and restore order to the accreditation and voting process before the situation spirals further out of control.
However, as of the filing of this report, the APC national leadership has remained silent on the matter.
However, on APGA’s camp, there was a scene of political pageantry and unity at Alex Ekwueme Square on Saturday, where the ruling party, APGA, reaffirmed its support for Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
With no opposition within the party, Soludo was returned unopposed through a delegate affirmation process—essentially securing his place on the ballot for a second term.
Soludo’s unchallenged emergence didn’t come as a surprise. His four-year tenure has been defined by sweeping reforms in education, infrastructural renewal, and urban planning.
While his policies have sparked debate, especially among public sector unions and market associations, APGA clearly sees him as the best bet to retain the governorship in November.
One party loyalist, Chika Obi, summed it up: “Soludo has changed the conversation in Anambra. He may not have pleased everyone, but he’s moved the needle. That’s why he’s our man for 2025.”
Across town, the Labour Party (LP) conducted its primary at Finotel Hotel, also in Awka. There, veteran politician and former NIWA boss Chief George Muoghalu clinched the party’s ticket with 575 delegate votes.
His only opponent, John Nwosu, withdrew earlier in the day but still recorded 19 votes on the final tally.
For Muoghalu, the nomination marks both a political comeback and a new chapter. Known for his technocratic approach and quiet resilience, Muoghalu’s campaign is expected to emphasize economic revitalization, digital governance, and job creation—an agenda targeted at disenchanted youth and the growing urban electorate.
“This is a homecoming for me,” Muoghalu told supporters after the results were announced. “We are not here to play politics as usual. We’re here to build a better Anambra for all.”
While APGA and LP wrapped up their primaries in relative order, the All Progressives Congress (APC) found itself embroiled in a troubling crisis. At the Beautiful Gate Hotel—the party’s designated venue for accreditation—chaos broke out as alleged thugs, reportedly loyal to one of the aspirants, Nicholas Ukachukwu, disrupted the process.
Witnesses described a coordinated effort to block access to delegates who did not carry Ukachukwu-branded identification.
Even more disturbing were reports that police personnel appeared to assist in the exclusionary tactics, raising alarms about state complicity in internal party violence.
A delegate, visibly shaken, told reporters, “They beat us, chased us away. This wasn’t a primary; it was a war zone.”
Dr. Valentine Oliobi, the APC State Publicity Secretary, confirmed the reports, accusing Ukachukwu’s camp of hijacking the process. Meanwhile, the Valentine Ozigbo Campaign Organisation released a fiery statement, calling for a probe and immediate intervention from the party’s national leadership.
“This is not democracy. This is thuggery with a badge,” said Ozigbo’s spokesman, Ephraim Adiele.
By Saturday evening, disillusioned delegates were seen leaving the venue, some nursing injuries, others expressing outrage.
The APC national leadership had yet to issue a formal statement at the time of this report.
With APGA and LP presenting strong, widely recognizable candidates, and the APC still navigating internal discord, the shape of Anambra’s governorship race is beginning to crystallize.
Governor Soludo offers a message of continuity and consolidation, leveraging his incumbency and legacy projects. Muoghalu positions himself as the steady alternative, promising fresh energy and inclusive governance.
The APC, if it can recover from Saturday’s debacle, will have to work overtime to restore credibility and unity among its ranks.
INEC’s presence at the primaries, particularly in APGA and LP camps, lent some legitimacy to the processes. But the APC’s troubled exercise underscores a broader challenge in Nigeria’s political landscape: the urgent need for internal party reforms and electoral discipline.
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State says the Supreme Court judgement on Friday, which sacked the Julius Abure- led National Working Committee of Labour Party, LP, will pave the way for the return of peace, unity and order in the party.
Otti, who was reacting to the Court ruling, said the leadership of the party has been vindicated.
According to him, the tenure of the Abure-led National Working Committee had long expired which informed the decision to set up the National Caretaker Committee led by Esther Nenadi Usman as Chairman and Darlington Nwokocha as secretary.
Governor Otti added that the vision behind the setting up of the committee was to foster peace and unity, while strengthening the party to consolidate on the gains made in the last election.
Governor Otti commended the Supreme Court for its sound judgement, which he said met the popular expectations of genuine Labour Party members in particular, and Nigerians in general and thanked those who kept faith while the battle for the soul of the party lasted.
Otti further invited the former national officers of the party to join hands with the National Executive Committee, NEC and the National Caretaker Committee, NCC, of the party to move the party forward, assuring that he and other leaders of the party were committed to building an all-inclusive party devoid of discrimination and favoritism.
Meanwhile,the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has extended its governorship primary in Anambra State from April 5 to April 8.
The PDP chairman in the state, Chidi Chidebe, confirmed the development to newsmen in Awka on Saturday.
The primary will produce the party’s candidate for the November 8 governorship election.
For the people of Anambra, the stakes could not be higher. From economic development to security, education to job creation, voters are demanding more than slogans—they want results.
As campaigns prepare to hit the streets, town halls, and airwaves, one thing is certain: the road to Agu Awka Government House will not be a walk in the park.
November 8 is still months away, but the battle lines are already drawn. In Anambra, democracy is alive—but it’s also under pressure to deliver.
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