THIS IS NOT OVER’: VALENTINE OZIGBO CHALLENGES APC GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY, DECRIES ‘SHAM’ PROCESS IN ANAMBRA

In a sweeping and impassioned statement released Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Valentine Ozigbo, one of Nigeria’s most recognisable business leaders and a leading aspirant in the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary in Anambra State, has formally rejected the outcome of the April 5 election, describing it as a “well-orchestrated heist” and a betrayal of democratic values.

Mr Ozigbo, the immediate past President and Group CEO of Transcorp Plc and the founder of the VCO Foundation, filed a petition with the APC’s Gubernatorial Appeal Committee, alleging gross irregularities in the conduct of the primary, which saw the emergence of Nicholas Ukachukwu as the party’s flagbearer.

“This is not just about me,” Ozigbo wrote. “It is about the soul of our democracy. About the values we claim to represent. About the future we owe our children.”

According to the statement, Ozigbo claims the process was “fraudulent and stage-managed,” citing the use of non-party members on the delegate list, exclusion and intimidation of genuine APC members, and a vote-counting process devoid of transparency or due process.

Ozigbo’s rejection of the primary has added tension to what observers see as a pivotal political moment in the South-East.

The Anambra governorship election, slated for November 2025, is viewed as a litmus test for the APC’s influence in a region long considered politically resistant to the ruling party.

In his statement, Ozigbo reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC but made clear that he will not abandon his challenge nor compromise his principles.

“I did not join politics to decorate the register, receive accolades, or shop for appointments,” he said.

“I came to be part of a generation that restores integrity to our political system.”

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, who was the runner-up in the 2021 governorship race, made headlines in February when he joined the APC, a move he said was driven by a desire to help reform the party from within and to deliver transformative leadership to Anambra State.

His entrance was greeted with fanfare and seen by many party faithful as a strategic advantage in the quest to unseat the incumbent, Governor Chukwuma Soludo.

Ozigbo has since led a wave of grassroots engagement, hosting town halls across the state and cultivating a message of unity, competence, and reform within the APC.

His appeal has particularly resonated with the youth, civil society groups, and disillusioned voters seeking a break from the political status quo.

“The sham of April 5 was not just a fraud against me; it was a theft against Ndi Anambra,” he said.

He vowed not to pursue alternative political offices, such as the Senate, nor would he defect to another party.

Instead, Ozigbo asserted he would remain in the APC, challenging the outcome from within as part of what he called his “clear mission” to rescue Anambra.

“I will stand firm, here, in the APC, and I will fight this good fight to its just end. Because Ndi Anambra are worth it. Because our democracy is worth it.”

Throughout the statement, Ozigbo evoked powerful historical examples of resistance and perseverance — from Nigeria’s independence movement to the U.S. Civil Rights era and Nelson Mandela’s struggle against apartheid — to frame the current moment as part of a larger battle between regressive forces and democratic progress.

“To the architects of that manipulation, I say this: The future cannot be bribed or bullied. The people are watching. History is recording.”

He concluded with a rallying cry to supporters and party leaders: “The Party still has a chance to right this wrong and present a candidate who can truly win and govern.”

Whether the APC leadership will act on his petition remains to be seen, but Ozigbo’s latest intervention has thrown a spotlight on the credibility of the primary process and the direction the party intends to take in the countdown to the November elections.

The full statement is republished below:

PUBLIC STATEMENT: On the Aftermath of the APC Anambra Gubernatorial Primary Election held on April 5, 2025

My dear friends, supporters, members of our great party, and Ndi Anambra,

First, I give glory to God Almighty — the source of strength, grace, and clarity. In moments of darkness, His light always finds a way to shine through. His mercies endure and renew each day, and for that, I am profoundly grateful.

Yesterday, I formally submitted a petition to the Appeals Committee of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the so-called primary election conducted in Anambra on April 5, 2025. That exercise, by all observable standards, was a charade — a well-orchestrated heist designed to deliver a predetermined outcome.

The facts are now public: non-party members populated the delegate list; genuine party faithful were locked out or violently barred from voting; accreditation was either skipped or manipulated; and votes were counted without transparency.

This is not just about me. It is about the soul of our democracy. About the values we claim to represent. About the future we owe our children.

Now, many are asking, “Val, what next?” My answer is simple and unshaken: I will stay the course. I did not join politics to decorate the register, receive accolades, or shop for appointments. I came to be part of a generation that restores integrity to our political system, that makes governance accountable, and that builds the kind of country we all deserve.

My mission is clear. It is to serve Ndi Anambra with humility, vision, and excellence. That mission began long before April 5, and it will continue far beyond the treachery of that day.

Thus, I will not be distracted. I will not run to the Senate, nor will I pivot to another political opportunity for the sake of ambition. I will stand firm, here, in the APC, and I will fight this good fight to its just end. Because Ndi Anambra are worth it. Because our democracy is worth it.

History teaches us that freedom is never freely given — it is fought for. The Civil Rights Movement in the United States, Nelson Mandela’s long walk to freedom, Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, Nigeria’s own fight for independence from the British — all remind us that oppression always fights back before it breaks. That is what we are witnessing today: the dying kicks of a system scared of change. But Anambra must change for good. And it will.

Let me be clear: I am not a transactional politician. I do not seek power for its own sake. I seek it to make a difference — to restore dignity, create jobs, secure lives, and light a path for the next generation. The sham of April 5 was not just a fraud against me; it was a theft against Ndi Anambra.

To the architects of that manipulation, I say this; The future cannot be bribed or bullied. The people are watching. History is recording.

To our supporters — the dreamers, the believers, the Valiants, and the tireless builders of this Movement — I say: Keep your heads up. Our mission continues. Stay strong. Stay hopeful. We will not back down. We will not break.

Let us remind the APC that this election is a defining moment — not just for Anambra, but for the credibility of our party and the soul of our nation. The Party still has a chance to right this wrong and present a candidate who can truly win and govern.

May wisdom guide us, may courage strengthen us, and may the grace of God continue to carry us.

Ka Anambra Chawapu.

Thank you, and God bless you all.

Signed,

Valentine Ozigbo
April 8, 2025