Celebrity businessman Pascal Okechukwu, known as Cubana Chief Priest, has denied participating in the All Progressives Congress primary election for the Orsu/Orlu/Oru East Federal Constituency seat in Imo State.
He said he voluntarily withdrew from the contest after Governor Hope Uzodimma presented the party’s zoning position to him.
The claims, made in a series of Instagram story posts on Sunday, contradicts an earlier video in which Okechukwu said his only regret was “trusting the elders in the community” and that only 14 people voted for him at the primary.
Okechukwu was seeking the APC ticket for the Orsu/Orlu/Oru East Federal Constituency seat ahead of the 2027 general elections, where he lost to the incumbent lawmaker, Canice Nwachukwu.
Describing himself as “a loyal party man and committed progressive,” he said his consultations with Uzodimma led him to understand and respect the party’s zoning arrangement, which held that Orlu LGA should complete at least two terms before the seat rotated to another local government area.
“He made the argument that it was not the turn of my Local Government Area to occupy the seat at this time, especially considering that my elder brother, Asiwaju Jerry Alagboso, had previously served three terms in the House,” Okechukwu wrote.
He said he nonetheless made clear to the governor that his aspiration was driven by genuine concern about the performance of the current occupant of the seat.
