According to a report by Daily Trust on Sunday, May 17, 2026, celebrity businessman and nightlife entrepreneur Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, has denied reports claiming that he participated in the All Progressives Congress primary election for the Orsu/Orlu/Oru East Federal Constituency seat in Imo State.
He clarified that he did not take part in the exercise and was not present at the venue where the primary election was conducted.
His clarification came through a series of posts shared on his Instagram page, where he addressed circulating reports about his alleged participation.
Okechukwu explained that he had earlier shown interest in contesting for the House of Representatives seat under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, but later stepped down from the race after consultations with key party stakeholders.
According to him, discussions were held with the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, and other party leaders regarding the zoning arrangement guiding the selection of candidates for the constituency.
He said the issue of zoning played a central role in the final decision to withdraw from the race.
The businessman stated that the party leadership clarified that the Orsu/Orlu/Oru East Federal Constituency seat was still zoned to Orlu Local Government Area, which meant it was not the turn of his own local government to produce the representative.
He noted that this arrangement was part of the internal structure of the party aimed at balancing political representation among different areas within the constituency.
Following this clarification, he said he respected the decision and chose to step aside in line with party rules.
He further addressed claims that he scored 14 votes in the primary election, describing such reports as inaccurate.
According to him, he did not participate in the voting process and was not present at the election venue at any point.
He maintained that he never went to the location where the primary exercise took place and instead returned to Lagos after deciding to withdraw from the contest.
He emphasized that his decision was based on respect for the party’s internal process and leadership structure.
Okechukwu also described himself as a loyal member of the APC, stating that he remains committed to the party’s ideals and political direction.
He explained that his initial interest in the House of Representatives seat was driven by concerns about effective representation for the constituency, as he believed more attention was needed in addressing the needs of the people.
However, he said his position changed after the party leadership made its stance on zoning clear, which guided his final decision to step down from the race.
He added that his withdrawal was not influenced by pressure from outside sources but was a result of consultations and understanding of the party’s established arrangements.
He said political participation within the party requires adherence to agreed structures, including zoning and rotational principles that guide candidacy selection in different regions.
He stressed that respecting such arrangements is important for maintaining unity within the party and ensuring smooth political processes.
He said, “In respect for the party and its leadership, I chose not to proceed to the field, and indeed, I never did. Nobody will say they saw me anywhere around the primaries venue. In fact, I did not participate, as I headed straight back to Lagos…See More
