Nigeria APC Governorship Race Shrinks as Paul Chukwuma Exits Hours Before Primary

Paul Chukwuma, an APC governorship aspirant in Anambra, resigns just before the April 5 primary election. His withdrawal, alongside Chukwuma Umeoji’s, leaves six contenders vying for the party’s ticket. Political tension rises ahead of Anambra's November 8 governorship election as the APC faces a reshuffled primary process.

In a dramatic political development, Paul Chukwuma, a prominent governorship aspirant on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform in Anambra State, has resigned from the party just hours before the highly anticipated April 5, 2025, primary election. In a letter directed to the APC Chairman of Ward 2, Umueri, Anambra East LGA, Chukwuma officially announced his withdrawal from the race, leaving many speculating about the reasons behind his sudden exit. While he did not elaborate on his reasons, Chukwuma expressed his ongoing support for President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and reiterated his commitment to the ideals of the APC.

This resignation makes Chukwuma the second APC aspirant to pull out of the race, following Chukwuma Umeoji, a former House of Representatives member, who also withdrew earlier citing consultations with his supporters. With these two withdrawals, the remaining aspirants in the APC’s gubernatorial primary are Nicholas Ukachukwu, Valentine Ozigbo, Obiora Okonkwo, John Bosco Onunkwo, and Edozie Madu. As the election approaches, political analysts are closely monitoring the shifting dynamics in Anambra's political landscape. The APC had initially cleared seven aspirants to run, but with the withdrawals, the party’s selection process now stands in a state of flux.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set the Anambra governorship election for November 8, with the APC opting for an indirect primary process to select its flagbearer.