Chief Ebuka Onunkwo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate for the Anambra South senatorial seat in the 2027 election, said he will not reply to Governor Chukwuma Soludo after the governor reportedly described him as an “illiterate factory owner” during a road commissioning in Ekwusigo Local Government Area.
Onunkwo made the comments while addressing supporters in Nanka, Orumba North, over the weekend. He called the governor his elder and said political differences would not provoke a verbal confrontation.
“I cannot insult the governor. I can never reply to anything he says about me because he is my senior in age,” Onunkwo said, as reported by Vanguard. He added he would not return any curse even if one were directed at him, and said he remained on good terms with Soludo despite belonging to different parties. (Vanguard)
Onunkwo described the governor’s remarks as a compliment rather than an insult and defended his record as an industrialist. He told supporters that he provided a loan of N170 million to help complete the road project in the local government where the commissioning took place, and said ownership of a factory that employs people in the state was a source of pride. Those comments were reported by Vanguard. (Vanguard)
The Nanka visit coincided with community events. Daily Post reported Onunkwo spoke to journalists during the town’s New Yam Festival at Agbiligba Square, and reiterated that he would not engage the governor in a war of words. (Daily Post)
Both outlets reported that the governor, during the road commissioning in Ekwusigo, urged residents to support a candidate from his party rather than Onunkwo. Daily Post said Soludo told locals to vote for the All Progressives Grand Alliance candidate, Senator Emma Nwachukwu; that specific claim is attributed to Daily Post. (Daily Post)
Onunkwo said his decision to run for the Senate was driven by a desire to bring development across Anambra South. He pointed to past political roles he said he held for Soludo’s campaigns, including coordinating the governor’s campaign council in Ekwusigo and working on Emma Nwachukwu’s campaign during a by-election. Those statements were reported by Vanguard and Daily Post. (Vanguard) (Daily Post)
He repeated his confidence about the 2027 contest, saying the electorate would decide who represents Anambra South and that he believed his popularity would deliver victory. Both outlets reported his optimism. (Vanguard) (Daily Post)
Featured image: Chinedueri via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
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