Valentine Ozigbo, a prominent aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the upcoming Anambra governorship election, has taken legal action to challenge the legitimacy of the party’s April 5, 2025, primary, okaynews.com reports.
The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court in Awka on April 16, 2025, names the APC, Nicholas Ukachukwu, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.
Ozigbo is seeking the nullification of the primary results and wants the court to recognize him as the rightful APC candidate. In the disputed primary, Ukachukwu was declared the winner with 1,455 votes, while Ozigbo received 67 votes. Other aspirants, Johnbosco Onunkwo and Edozie Madu, scored 26 and 8 votes respectively, with 26 votes declared invalid.
The suit, prepared by a legal team led by Umeh Kalu, SAN, and B.C. Igwilo, SAN, includes evidence from the party’s constitution, internal communications, and delegate registers. Ozigbo’s action follows widespread resignations and defections within the state APC, triggered by the controversial primary.
In a personal statement, Ozigbo described the primary as a “well-scripted illusion,” alleging irregularities such as the use of unfamiliar delegate lists, exclusion of real party members, lack of accreditation, and violence. He further claimed that Ukachukwu did not meet the eligibility criteria set by the APC constitution.
Ozigbo emphasized, “Let us be clear: the April 5, 2025 exercise was not a primary election—it was a well-scripted illusion.” He called for accountability and integrity, stating, “Our aim is not to fracture the party but to fortify it; to restore its integrity, renew its credibility, and secure its future as a vehicle for true democratic leadership.”
The Federal High Court in Awka has not yet set a date for the hearing.
