Bye-election: APC candidate Ukachukwu condemns Anambra Deputy Governor’s invasion of his community, wants IG overhaul Anambra Police

By Alphonsus Nweze, Onitsha

The governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), in November 8, 2025 gubernatorial election in Anambra State, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu has condemned the invasion of his community and others in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State with the operatives of the state vigilant group, Udogachi during the last Saturday Bye-election.
Addressing newsmen in Awka, the State capital, Ukachukwu who was obviously furious called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, to overhaul the State Police Command.
Ukachukwu narrated that on the election day when no public official suppose to come out, the Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, led a team of state vigilant group numbering about 500 to his community to arrest people, seize their voter’ cards, cellphones and even money.
He lamented that members of the vigilant group arrested people, beat them, snatched result sheets and tore them into shreds to allow them effectively rig the election, lamenting that the Police in the State did not have a single arrest.
The Guber candidate said it took his personal intervention to release their victims and recover all they seized from them including money, saying that is what he had to do as a leader.
“Both the Deputy Governor and the Udogachi people don’t suppose to be seen on the road on that election day.But they stormed my community, Osumenyi and other communities to collect result sheets, intimidate and arrest people. In all this, Police didn’t make any single.Over 500 vigilant operatives besieged my community. The Deputy Governor led Udogachi people to arrest and thwart election in my community. He has no right to arrest anybody.He don’t even suppose to come out on election day.He broke the rules” said Ukachukwu.
Prince Ukachukwu said if he did not come out to intervene that day, things would have gone wrong because the youth were already spoiling for a show down and they had almost held the Deputy Governor hostage.
He said even journalists on election duty were not spared as the Deputy Governor ordered for their arrest with their vehicles but for his intervention again.
Warning that the coming Governorship election would not be this way, Ukachukwu said they would not fold their hands to allow them perpetuate their atrocities again.
He flayed the results announced by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), because they did not reflect the wishes of the people.
“They did not collate my wards and several wards . Which results did they use to announce the winner? They are afraid. They know they will lose the governorship election” he said.
Ukachukwu said the party however had its plan on how to pursue the matter, noting that the matter would be reported to President Bola Tinubu, who he said, has a listening ear.
The chairman of the party, Chief Basil Ejidike, had earlier alleged that the chairman of the party in Nri ward two was killed during the election.
He accused the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), of using the state vigilant members to besiege the homes of three key figures in the party, the Guber Candidate, Ukachukwu, the South Senatorial candidate, Okwuosa, who they did not allow to even exercise his franchise and the Deputy Governorship candidate, Senator Uche Ekwunife whose community was invaded by Udogachi.