Awka, Nigeria — The political landscape of Anambra State has been ignited by a highly personal and public confrontation between Mrs. Nonye Soludo, the wife of the Governor, and Senator Uche Ekwunife, the deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The dramatic dispute centers on allegations of infidelity and has escalated into a public challenge involving a religious oath and DNA testing.
In a statement released on Saturday, Mrs. Soludo accused Senator Ekwunife of fabricating malicious allegations and dragging her children into a political conflict. To settle the matter, Mrs. Soludo issued a direct challenge to the senator, urging her to join her in taking an oath of fidelity before the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“I will swear (with my children) that in my 55 years on earth, I have known only one man—Chukwuma Soludo,” Mrs. Soludo’s statement read. She further challenged Senator Ekwunife to swear that she has “never cheated” on her husband.
Mrs. Soludo also proposed a scientific solution to the dispute. “I challenge you, Uche Ekwunife, for us to subject our children to paternity tests in three reputable hospitals in London. I will pay all the expenses, including travel for you and your family,” she said, adding that she would present a cash award if the test results affirmed the senator’s husband as the father of her children. The governor’s wife, who described herself as a “quiet family woman,” asserted that she married her husband as a virgin and that her fidelity in their 33-year marriage is “ironclad.”
Ekwunife’s Swift Response
Senator Ekwunife swiftly responded to the challenge, advising Mrs. Soludo that any explanations about the paternity of her children should be directed to her husband, Governor Soludo, and not to political opponents or the public.
The senator criticized Mrs. Soludo for attempting to justify her “chastity, fidelity, and virginity” in a public forum, calling such matters deeply private. “If the Governor has doubts regarding the paternity of his children, he should seek a DNA test himself,” Ekwunife stated. She maintained that Mrs. Soludo’s attempts to involve others in a private family issue only serve to unnecessarily politicize the matter.
The confrontation is believed to be rooted in a previous dispute where Governor Chukwuma Soludo questioned Senator Ekwunife’s academic qualifications. The escalating conflict has captured public attention, transforming a political disagreement into a deeply personal and unprecedented public feud.
