A former National Auditor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sir Paul Chukwuma, on Thursday emerged as the candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) for the upcoming November 8, 2025 governorship election in Anambra State.
Chukwuma resigned his membership of the APC, less than 48 hours to the April 5, 2025 when the party conducted its governorship primary which produced Prince Nicolas Ukachukwu as candidate.
Two other frontline aspirants for the APC ticket, including the the proprietor of United Nigerian Airline, Professor Obiora Okonkwo and former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Chuma Umeoji also withdrew from participating in the APC governorship primary, citing manipulation of the processes by the organisers.
According to the result of the YPP primary election declared by the national chairman, Comrade Bishop Amakri, at the party’s state secretariat in Awka, Chukwuma polled a total of 366 votes of the 374 delegates from the 21 local government areas of the state.
In his acceptance speech, Chukwuma stated that although he resigned from the APC, he still strongly believed in the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Tinubu-led APC federal government.
He further pledged that his YPP-led administration in the state when elected, would propagate the agenda of President Tinubu to connect Anambra State to the federal government.
Meanwhile, an Awka-based real estate developer, Ozo Jeff Nweke also emerged as the candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) at its governorship primary in the state.
Nweke polled a total of 58 votes to clinch the party’s ticket after defeating two other aspirants, Amalachukwu Ekwunife and Mr. Michael Ekwunife who garnered 8 votes and 6 votes respectively out the 72 accredited delegates.
A total of 105 delegates were elected from across the 21 local government areas of the state by the party for the primary election.
The AA governorship primary election was conducted through Option A-4 where the delegates were directed to queue behind their preferred aspirant by members of the national committee mandated to conduct the exercise headed by the national secretary, Mr. James Vernimbe in Awka.
Vernimbe stated that the choice of Option A-4 was to ensure transparency and openness in the selection of its governorship candidate, adding that the party is for the masses of the country.
The national secretary who also doubled as the returning officer declared Nweke winner at the primary attended by a team of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by Mr. Franklin Osime.
In his acceptance speech, Nweke expressed joy over the confidence reposed in him to fly the party’s governorship flag and pledged that he would win the election for the party, urging party members to go to the grassroots to mobilise support for votes.
He listed security, job creation for the masses, fight against hunger and provision of social amenities as well as industrial and agricultural development as part of priority areas his administration would pursue if elected.
