By Ikeugonna Eleke
The Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2025 Governorship Election in Anambra State, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, has faulted the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for fielding a candidate for the Onitsha North 1 State Constituency.
The by-election which is scheduled to hold on August 16, is to replace Hon Justice Azuka, a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly who was kidnapped on December 24, while arriving his hometown for the Christmas celebration.
Azuka who was kidnapped in December, was later found dead in February, with his decomposing body found at the foot of the Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha.
While the Labour Party and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have teamed up to field the wife of the late LP lawmaker in ADC as a replacement for her husband, APGA is fielding Mimih Ifeoma Azikiwe, another lady, to replace the late lawmaker.
But the Governorship Candidate of APC, Prince Ukachukwu, has criticized APGA for fielding a candidate to replace a man who died of insecurity as a result of the perceived incompetence of their government.
Speaking to journalists in Awka on Wednesday, Ukachukwu said: ‘How will they pay back for all the people who have died as a result of insecurity in Anambra?
‘Now, Hon Justice Azuka died as a result of the inability of this government to provide security, and now APGA is fielding another candidate to replace the man who died because of insecurity. Is that not ridiculous?
‘They do not care about your security, politics is more important to them. If you die as a result of insecurity by their government, they will just move on.’
Ukachukwu assured that his government was fully prepared to provide security in Anambra, berating the Prof Chukwuma Soludo-led government for the level of insecurity in the state.
‘Have you seen the level of insecurity in Anambra State? The people can no longer sleep with their eyes closed. What the government of the day is more concerned about is revenue drive, using very crude methods.
‘You have seen the video of Aka Odo people (task force), you saw how these government-sponsored thugs were tormenting a man, this is barbaric. By the grace of God, when I become Governor, I will abolish all those things.
‘Security is very paramount, and we will use various methods to safeguard our people,’ Ukachukwu declared.
