APC Senatorial Candidate Rejects Alleged Replacement, Insists Nomination Stands

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Abia South Senatorial District, Chief Erondu Uchenna Erondu Jnr, has dismissed reports claiming that he has been replaced as the party’s candidate for the 2027 general election.

Erondu described the reported substitution of his candidature as illegal and without any legal basis, insisting that he remains the validly nominated APC candidate for the senatorial district.

In a statement, the lawmaker, who represents Obingwa West State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, said he emerged through the party’s direct primary election conducted on May 18, 2026, across the 65 electoral wards in the six local government areas that make up Abia South Senatorial District.

He explained that the primary election was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies. According to him, the exercise complied with the APC guidelines and the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Erondu said he was officially declared the winner by the party’s Primary Election Committee set up by the APC National Working Committee.

He added that after some aspirants challenged the outcome of the primary, the APC Appeal Committee reviewed the petitions and upheld his victory.

The lawmaker further stated that INEC later issued a Certified True Copy of the APC Abia South Senatorial Primary Election Report on June 30, 2026, confirming him as the party’s candidate for the election.

Despite these developments, Erondu said he had received reports that efforts were being made to replace his name with that of Prince Paul Ikonne.

He argued that such a move would violate the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as the APC Constitution.

According to him, Section 33 of the Electoral Act permits the substitution of a candidate only in the event of death, voluntary withdrawal through a personally signed notice submitted to the political party, or where a court issues an order affecting the nomination.

Erondu maintained that none of those conditions applied to his case, stating that he is alive and has never submitted any letter withdrawing from the race.

He called on the APC National Working Committee and other party leaders to respect the outcome of the primary election and preserve the credibility of the party’s internal democratic process.

He also urged INEC to rely on its official records, including the Certified True Copy of the primary election report, which he said confirmed his nomination as the APC candidate for Abia South Senatorial District.

Erondu appealed to his supporters to remain peaceful and ignore what he described as false information, while encouraging them to remain committed to the APC and continue supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign.