Ahead of the 2025 Anambra gubernatorial election, a fresh controversy has emerged over an alleged endorsement of Paul Chukwuma by supporters of the late APC chieftain, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
The dispute revolves around conflicting claims by groups within the Ikemba Front, a prominent political pressure group in the state.
A faction of the group, led by Chidi Okoye, recently announced their shift in allegiance from Ubah to Chukwuma following Ubah’s untimely death.
At a ceremony held at Chukwuma’s residence in Umueri, Okoye, along with 21 local government coordinators and state officers, declared Chukwuma as the most suitable candidate to govern Anambra, citing shared ideologies and visions with the late Ubah.
They promised to mobilize support for Chukwuma in a bid to secure his candidacy and eventual victory in the November 2025 gubernatorial election.
However, in a swift rebuttal, another faction of the Ikemba Front has denied the reported endorsement, calling it “null and void.”
In a statement issued after a national executive meeting in Awka, the group reaffirmed its commitment to the political zoning arrangement in Anambra state.
The communique emphasized that power should shift to the Anambra South Senatorial District in line with the existing zoning agreement, and therefore, it is still the turn of the South to produce the next governor.
The communique dismissed the alleged endorsement of Chukwuma as an unauthorized action by a faction within the group, asserting that the individuals behind it were not recognized members of the Ikemba Front.
The statement also announced the suspension and expulsion of several members, including the former National Youth Leader, for undermining the group’s principles.
The Ikemba Front, founded by the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and revived by Senator Ubah, remains divided over the direction of its support in the upcoming election.
