I’m Alive, I Never Withdrew!” — Abia APC Senatorial Candidate Explodes Over Alleged Substitution

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Abia South Senatorial District, Erondu Uchenna Erondu Jr., has dismissed reports suggesting that he has been replaced by Paul Ikonne as the party’s candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Describing the alleged substitution as illegal and unconstitutional, Erondu insisted that he remains the APC’s validly nominated candidate for the senatorial contest.

The Obingwa West representative in the Abia State House of Assembly made his position known in a statement personally signed and released on Saturday, August 1, 2026.

According to Erondu, he neither withdrew from the race nor relinquished his candidacy, maintaining that he emerged as the APC’s candidate after winning the party’s primary election held in May.

He stated that the APC senatorial primary conducted on May 16, 2026, across the 65 electoral wards in the six local government areas of Abia South produced him as the winner.

Erondu explained that the results of the primary were officially declared by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) in the presence of officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Department of State Services (DSS).

He further disclosed that he received a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the primary election results on June 30, 2026, confirming his nomination.

Responding to reports that his name had been substituted with that of Paul Ikonne, Erondu argued that such a move would violate the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.

“I am alive. I have not withdrawn my candidature. At no time have I signed or submitted any notice of withdrawal to the All Progressives Congress,” he stated.

Citing Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2026, Erondu noted that a political party can only substitute a candidate under clearly defined circumstances, including the death of the candidate, voluntary withdrawal through a personally signed written notice submitted to the party, or a valid court order affecting the nomination.

He maintained that none of those conditions applied in his case, questioning the legal basis for the reported replacement of his name.

The APC candidate called on both the party’s National Working Committee and INEC to strictly comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act in resolving the matter.

The controversy comes just days after the Abia State chapter of the APC publicly confirmed Erondu as its candidate for the Abia South Senatorial District election.

On July 1, 2026, the party announced him as its flagbearer to challenge the Labour Party’s candidate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, in the 2027 senatorial race.