ABUJA, Nigeria — Nicholas Ukachukwu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Anambra State, was harassed on Sunday, September 14, 2025, by a group of men outside the Transcorp Hilton hotel in Abuja.
Viral video clips showed the men confronting Ukachukwu as he attempted to leave the hotel, accusing him of owing them money.
“You’re running for governor and owing people. You’re owing us ₦1 billion. Pay us our money,” one man shouted.
Another insisted: “You should be able to talk to us, no matter how big you think you can be. You should honour us.”
Ukachukwu, visibly displeased, replied: “I don’t talk to people I don’t know. I don’t like what’s going on here,” while hotel staff urged the crowd to lower their phones and stop recording.
Reacting to the incident, Chido Obidiegwu, director of media and communications for the Ukachukwu-Ekwunife campaign council, alleged that Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State orchestrated the harassment.
“The nature of the attack from the intelligence available to the campaign organisation is to justify the false statement made by Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo at the inauguration of his campaign organisation,” Obidiegwu said in a statement on Monday, September 15, 2025.
He accused the governor of derogatorily branding Ukachukwu a “land grabber” and funding individuals to publicly confront him.
“The brief was simple: ‘Shout land grabber, Oga where is my land, Oga refund my money,’” he added.
The campaign council said it has petitioned Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun over what it described as a plot to malign its candidate.
“We will deal with anyone who dares to attack our candidate with false allegations of land grabbing just to justify the lies of Prof Soludo,” Obidiegwu warned.
He further urged the governor to prioritise tackling insecurity in Anambra rather than, in his words, engaging in “false propaganda and blackmail.”
