APC’s Ozigbo Drags Party, INEC To Court Over Anambra Primary

By Oluwadara Akingbohungbe 

Valentine Ozigbo, a leading APC governorship aspirant in Anambra, has sued the All Progressives Congress, its declared candidate Nicholas Ukachukwu, and INEC, seeking to overturn the results of the party’s April 5, 2025, primary.

Ozigbo’s lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court in Awka on April 16, 2025, challenges the legitimacy of Ukachukwu’s nomination and demands that the APC recognize Ozigbo as the authentic candidate. The primary, held at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, saw Ukachukwu secure 1,455 votes, while Ozigbo trailed with 67.

According to Ozigbo’s legal team, the suit is backed by party documents and delegate registers. The legal battle comes amid internal turmoil, with mass resignations and defections rocking the Anambra APC.

In his statement, Ozigbo condemned the process as a “well-scripted illusion,” alleging manipulation of delegate lists and exclusion of genuine party members. He accused Ukachukwu of failing to meet the party’s eligibility criteria and criticized his response to the ongoing crisis.

Ozigbo stated, “Now, Ukachukwu parades himself, declaring the theatre of deceit that April 5 represents as ‘free and fair.’ It is an insult to the intelligence of our people and a stain on the integrity of our party.”

The court is yet to assign a date for the hearing of the case.