Anambra State’s First Lady, Nonye Soludo, has thrown down the gauntlet to Senator Uche Ekwunife, challenging her to swear an oath of fidelity before the Blessed Virgin Mary and to undergo DNA paternity tests for their children, amid an escalating political feud.
The confrontation stems from allegations made by Senator Ekwunife, the deputy governorship candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC), who claimed that Mrs Soludo had been closely associated with and worked alongside former governor Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Friday, Mrs Soludo dismissed these claims as “fabricated” and accused the senator of maliciously involving her children in political disputes. She demanded that Ekwunife retract her statements and issue a public apology within 72 hours, warning that failure to do so would result in legal action.
“To settle questions of character once and for all,” Mrs Soludo proposed a public oath at a cathedral. “Since Uche Ekwunife claims to be a converted Catholic, I challenge her for both of us to swear an oath of fidelity and chastity at any cathedral in front of the Blessed Sacrament and the Bible,” she stated.
Elaborating on the challenge, Mrs Soludo said: “I will swear (with my children) that in my 55 years on earth, I have known only one man—Chukwuma Soludo. On your part, you should also swear (with your children or your political ambitions) that since you got married, you have never cheated on your husband.”
She further escalated the dare by offering to fund paternity tests for both families’ children at three reputable hospitals in London. “I will pay all the expenses, including travel for you and your family,” Mrs Soludo added. Should the results confirm that Ekwunife’s husband is the father of all her children, Mrs Soludo pledged to offer her congratulations along with a cash award.
Portraying herself as a “quiet family woman” with a Christian and conservative upbringing, Mrs Soludo emphasised her personal integrity. “I married him as a virgin and my fidelity to him in 33 years of marriage and for life is ironclad,” she asserted. She also noted that she has never held a government position nor relied on public funds, even in her role as First Lady of Anambra State.
Vowing to maintain her defence with dignity, Mrs Soludo likened the dispute to a marathon. “My weapons are decency, character, and grace. I am a long-distance runner, and I welcome you to the marathon,” she declared.
The acrimonious spat between the two women can be traced back to what many have described as Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s petty and childish criticism of Senator Ekwunife’s academic credentials, particularly his branding of her PhD certificate as fake. The controversy erupted when Soludo, through his All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), publicly questioned the authenticity of Ekwunife’s doctorate from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, amid heightened political tensions ahead of Anambra’s gubernatorial elections. Ekwunife vehemently denied the allegations, challenging Soludo to take the matter to court for verification and launching a blistering counterattack that included personal jabs at the governor’s character, labelling him a “fake professor with offensive mouth and body odour”. This exchange of barbs prompted sharp criticisms from the senator against the governor, drawing his wife into the fray to defend her family’s honour.
As of now, Senator Ekwunife has not publicly responded to the latest challenge. The incident underscores the increasingly personal and vitriolic nature of political rivalries in Anambra State as the November elections loom.
