- Popular hospitality entrepreneur Pascal Okechukwu, widely known as Cubana Chief Priest, has denied losing the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary for the Orsu/Orlu/Oru East Federal Constituency, stating he never took part in the election.
- The socialite revealed that he chose to step down from the legislative race prior to voting after a strategic consultation with Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, who explained the party’s internal zoning guidelines.
- Reaffirming his commitment as a loyal party member, Okechukwu dismissed viral social media claims of a defeat as coordinated mischief, pledging to continue mobilizing support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The narrative surrounding the political aspirations of celebrity businessman Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, took a definitive turn on Sunday after he clarified that he did not lose the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Orsu/Orlu/Oru East Federal Constituency in Imo State.
Eko Hot Blog reports that responding to online commentary and viral reports suggesting he contested and received only 14 votes, Okechukwu utilized his official Instagram platform to state that he withdrew from the ballot voluntarily well before the commencement of the exercise on Saturday morning.
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According to the hospitality mogul, his decision to pull back from the primary election resulted from an extensive high-level conversation with Governor Hope Uzodimma regarding the structural zoning arrangements within the federal constituency.
Governor Uzodimma reportedly pointed out that it was not the equitable turn of Okechukwu’s local government area to occupy the seat, particularly given that his elder brother, Asiwaju Jerry Alagboso, had previously represented the district for three consecutive terms.
Accepting the governor’s position that Orlu Local Government Area should complete two full terms before rotation occurs, the businessman chose to comply with the leadership’s consensus.
Okechukwu noted that his original drive to seek the legislative ticket came from personal convictions that the incumbent lawmaker, Canice Nwachukwu, was falling short of the performance expectations of the local populace.
However, once the party’s collective zoning formula was made clear in the early hours of Saturday, he chose to respect internal stability by staying away from the primary venue entirely and returning directly to Lagos.
He emphasized that no delegates or observers could claim to have seen him at the polling center, effectively debunking rumors of an active electoral defeat.
Brushing aside online criticisms and rumors suggesting he owed financial compensation to political supporters over the bid, the nightlife icon stated that his campaign was entirely self-funded and born out of a genuine desire for grassroots development.
He expressed zero regrets about generating increased political awareness across Imo State during his brief aspiration.
Concluding his statement, the coordinator of the South-East City Boy Movement thanked well-wishers, including Seyi Tinubu, for their encouragement, while reiterating his total allegiance to the ruling APC and its re-election mobilization goals ahead of the 2027 polls.
