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Abia State lawmaker Erondu Uchenna Erondu Jr. has dismissed reports claiming he was replaced as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Abia South Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a statement, Erondu insisted he remains the party’s duly nominated candidate after emerging victorious in the APC primary election conducted on May 16, 2026, and described any alleged substitution as unlawful and unconstitutional.
The lawmaker, who represents Obingwa West Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, said the primary election was conducted in the presence of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Department of State Services (DSS). He added that he received a Certified True Copy of the primary election results from the APC on June 30 as evidence of his nomination.
Reacting to reports that his name had been replaced with that of Paul Ikonne, Erondu cited Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2026, arguing that a political party can only substitute a candidate in limited circumstances, including death, voluntary withdrawal, or a court order. He urged the APC National Working Committee and INEC to uphold the law and protect what he described as his valid mandate.
