…four aspirants submitted nomination forms
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has generated N350 million from the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms to seven governorship aspirants in Anambra State ahead of its April 5 primary election.
The nomination form was priced at N40 million, while the expression of interest form cost N10 million.
Sales, which began on February 10, closed on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.
Submission of completed forms was scheduled for Wednesday, February 26, but may be extended by a day due to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting taking place at the same venue.
The seven aspirants who purchased the forms are Hon. Chukuma Michael Umeoji, Prof. Obiora Francis Okonkwo, Nicholas Chukwujeku Ukachukwu, Sir Paul Chukwuma, Onunkwo Johnbisco Obinna, Valentine Ozigbo, and Edozie Madu.
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So far, at least four aspirants have submitted their completed forms ahead of the primary.
Meanwhile, Hon. Chukuma Umeoji has urged other aspirants to step down for him, arguing that he is best positioned to address the state’s challenges with practical solutions.
Speaking to journalists after submitting his forms at the APC national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, the former House of Representatives member criticised the incumbent governor’s performance, stating that academic qualifications alone do not guarantee effective leadership.
He stated: “I am calling on other aspirants to step down for Umeoji who has the experience. I may not have the capacity to talk like Soludo who promised everything and did nothing.
“We are coming to provide practical solutions,not theory. His (Soludo) government has shown that academic qualification is not a guarantee for performance.”
Painting the poor condition of the state, Umeoji said, “What is happening is that there is deprivation at all levels, no investor is coming and the governor thrives on propaganda.”
The former lawmaker assured that he has a master plan to tackle the insecurity in the state.
He recalled the security master plan designed during the regime of Peter Obi but was jettisoned by the current governor, hence, the intractable security problems in the state.
“If I win Anambra State, within 24 hours the guns will go down. The issue of unknown gunmen, no gunmen in Anambra is unknown. The people in the community know the criminals.
“The people behind the insecurity are not unknown. We will give them a window for rehabilitation. The basic problem of crime is poverty. We are going to make sure,” he added.