The All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate for the November 8 election in Anambra State, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, has received a substantial donation of N150 million from his supporters to bolster his campaign efforts.
The donation was presented during a rally organized by a political pressure group, Sustenance of Faith in Governance (SOFIG), which raised the funds through contributions from individuals and local government chapters across the state.
The event, which took place on July 27, 2025, also served as a platform to welcome 32,500 members of the Edozie Njoku faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) who defected to the APC.
Dr. Kingsley Ezekwelu, founder of SOFIG, presented the donation to Ukachukwu at the rally. In his address, Ezekwelu revealed that many SOFIG members, including himself, had faced persecution, job losses, and political witch-hunts for their support of Ukachukwu.
"Having been betrayed by APGA despite his clear victory at the senatorial primaries, Prince Dr. Ukachukwu had quietly retreated to his private life and business. The devastating loss of his dear wife, Princess Nnenna Ukachukwu (of blessed memory), further deepened his withdrawal from the political space," Ezekwelu stated.
He added, "Today, he is back as a candidate of APC, and we owe him our support. The overwhelming outcome of this exercise shows clearly that Prince Dr. Nicholas Chukwujekwu Ukachukwu will emerge as the people's preferred choice as Anambra governor in the coming election."
In his response, an elated Ukachukwu expressed gratitude for the unprecedented gesture, noting that it was unusual for supporters to donate to a candidate rather than expecting financial incentives from politicians.
"This is the first time I'm seeing people donate money to a contestant. In other cases, people would be waiting for the candidate to bring out money for them before they will vote, but in your case, you are donating to me," Ukachukwu remarked.
The APC candidate also addressed criticisms about his qualifications, stating: "They (opponents) are just blowing grammar, thinking that is what qualifies one to be a governor. There is no law that says that for you to be a governor you must be able to speak grammar. You must not be one who possesses certificates to be a governor."
In a surprising move, Ukachukwu redirected the donated funds back to the supporters, instructing them to manage it for grassroots campaigning. "You have raised the money for me, but I want to ask you to manage it for me too. Use it to sponsor yourself. Go from house to house, kindred to kindred, village to village and talk to people about Ikukuoma," he said.
The November 8 gubernatorial election in Anambra State is expected to be highly competitive, with multiple parties fielding strong candidates in the race to succeed the current administration.
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