The paternity controversy between the Anambra First Lady, Dr Nonye Soludo, and the running mate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took a new twist following the apology rendered by the former Senator to Governor Charles Soludo and his wife.
Ekwunife had turned down the challenge of a paternity test, contending that Nonye owes that to her husband and not her. But in a statement signed by her Special Adviser on Media, Mr Tony Ezike Ekwunife, she also denied a certain report that Nonye Soludo had children for self-styled political godfather Chief Chris Uba, insisting that it did not emanate from her camp.
“The attention of Sen. Uche Ekwunife, the Anambra All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy Governorship Candidate, has been drawn to an article falsely attributed to her camp, alleging that Mrs. Nonye Soludo, the wife of the Anambra State Governor, had children for Chief Chris Uba.”
“Sen. Uche Ekwunife categorically states that although she has been maligned, defamed, and disparaged by the Governor’s media team, the said publication did not emanate from her or her camp.”
“She further wishes to apologize to the Governor, his wife, and the general public who may have been affected by the altercations of the past few days” the statement read. But the National Publicity Secretary of APGA, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, has dismissed the said apology, contending that it is not for Ekwunife.
According to him, the apology is suspicious as it was not signed by Ekwunife herself.
“Worse still, the statement was signed by an unknown person who was not the source of Madam Ekwunife’s slur remarks against the Governor and his wife.”
“The publication purporting to be an apology for the defamatory statements made against the Governor and his wife personally by Senator Ekwunife, does not appear to have emanated from the Senator herself, given that her defamatory statements were made directly via recorded video and leaked audio conversation.”
” It is a known fact that there is no campaign organization known as the “Ekwunife Campaign Organization” since Senator Ekwunife’s ticket is a joint one with the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress.”
“This suggests that the statement did not truly emanate from Senator Ekwunife and therefore cannot be credited to her.”
“At best, it may be a ploy to prevaricate the fundamental issues posed by the First Lady in her personally signed statement. Wherein she challenged Senator Ekwunife to two key issues.
“First, that she, as a converted Catholic, agrees to swear an oath before the blessed sacrament that she has not known any other man since her marriage to Chief Larry Ekwunife, and she (Dr. Nonye Soludo) would also do the same.”
“The second is for her to accept an all-expense paid DNA test of her four children, three of whom were allegedly fathered by men other than her husband. In like manner, Mrs Soludo would present her six children for the same test,” he said.
