Cubana Chief Priest Loses APC Ticket for Imo Seat

Celebrity businessman and socialite Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, failed to secure the All Progressives Congress ticket for the House of Representatives seat for OrsuOrluOru East Federal Constituency in Imo State, a setback for his bid to contest the 2027 general elections. He lost the APC primary to the incumbent lawmaker representing the constituency, Canice Nwachukwu, after scoring 14 votes in the party’s ballot conducted on Saturday.

Cubana Chief Priest had obtained the APC expression of interest and nomination forms for the seat and spent recent months in consultations and party engagement, including participation in meetings and screening processes ahead of the primary. He is also known for his role in the City Boys Movement, a youth-focused support group established in 2022 to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu, and for organising and backing Tinubu-related campaigns, particularly in the South East.

After losing the nomination, Cubana Chief Priest posted that his “only regret” was trusting elders in his community. In remarks shared in a video that has circulated online, he said, “I’m a hustler, and I didn’t regret trying to contest for...