Nonye Soludo, the wife of Anambra State Governor, has demanded that former senator and deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Uche Ekwunife, retracts the statement she made accusing her of infidelity.
Mrs Soludo issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Ekwunife, while also demanding that she offers a public apology.
According to Guardian, in a statement released on Saturday, September 14, Mrs Soludo described the allegations made by Mrs Ekwunife as “wilful and malicious” and warned that legal action would follow if they were not withdrawn.
“My lawyers have also been put on notice,” she said. “I will still as a Christian give Uche a chance to repent and ensure restitution by recanting her wilful and malicious allegations within 72 hours and tendering an unreserved apology. Take note Uche that if you fail to do so, I will take every step necessary to ensure justice and restitution.”
The dispute stems from a viral video in which Mrs Ekwunife alleged that Mrs Soludo had an affair with former Anambra governor, Chinwoke Mbadinuju, during his administration, and suggested that the paternity of her children was in question.
The remarks came in response to Governor Charles Soludo’s earlier criticism of Mrs Ekwunife’s academic qualifications, particularly her claim to a doctorate degree.
Mrs Soludo denied the allegations, insisting she had never met the late Governor Mbadinuju.
“In my 55 years on planet earth, I have known only one man, Chukwuma Soludo. I married him as a virgin and my fidelity to him in 33 years of marriage and for life is ironclad,” she stated.
She further challenged Mrs Ekwunife to take an oath of fidelity before the Catholic Church’s Blessed Sacrament and proposed DNA tests for both families to be conducted in three hospitals in London, pledging to cover all costs.
“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,” Mrs Soludo said.
She added: “I challenge you, Uche Ekwunife, for us to subject our children to paternity tests. Science has made life easy and there are things you cannot lie about nowadays. To avoid any stories in Nigerian hospitals, let us do it in three reputable hospitals in London. I will pay the expenses.”
The development comes less than two months to the Anambra governorship election scheduled for 8 November, in which Mrs Ekwunife is contesting as the APC deputy governorship candidate.
Read Nonye Soludo’s full statement published by Guardian below:
UCHE EKWUNIFE HAS CROSSED THE RED LINE…
By Nonye Frances Soludo
1. Two days ago, I posted a terse remark in response to the barrage of fabricated inanities from Uche Ekwunife in her incoherent response to my husband’s legitimate questions about her questionable PhD and inadequate GCE result, noting that I would not condescend to her low level. I remarked that one should not exchange words with a madman because passersby may not know the difference. However, when the “madman” is determined to kill/destroy—as she boasted in her viral audio that she would fabricate outlandish lies to destroy my family, we are constrained to respond. Initially we shrugged off and laughed at her hilarious tantrums at my husband and I as the “usual Uche’s madness”, but now that her madness has crossed the red line by even dragging my innocent children into the arena and setting to destroy them, Ekwunife has left us with no choice.
2. This is a woman for whom I have cooked and fed, together with her children on several occasions they visited my house. For her to sit down and fabricate/spew all manner of invectives and criminal allegations against me and my children without any provocation from us shows someone who can even kill. Many people called and asked me to ignore Ekwunife because, according to them, she is like a mad dog which has no shame or character and can therefore say or do anything anywhere. I understand that it has been her rehearsed strategy with every man she had a political fight. I understand that her standard template is to maliciously go after their families—especially their wives. Everyone talks about how she tried to destroy the reputation of an innocent wife of a senator when she had a contest with him. Well, let me assure you Uche Ekwunife that you are in for a different season with a different woman. My weapons are decency, character, and grace. I am a long-distance runner, and I welcome you to the marathon.
3. In all my life, I have lived an incredibly quiet family life, shunning publicity. One of the reasons I hate politics is precisely the kind of shameless obscenities from Uche Ekwunife in the name of “politics.” My phone has been inundated with hundreds of calls and texts with “evidence” of what I could use against her. For now, I will still restrain from getting into the gutters with her and focus on the issues and facts. Before the gloves are off, I will still as a Christian give Uche a chance to repent and ensure restitution by recanting her wilful and malicious allegations within 72 hours and tendering an unreserved apology. Take note Uche that if you fail to do so, I will take every step necessary to ensure justice and restitution. My lawyers have also been put on notice.
4. For starters, let me repeat three verifiable facts. One, I have never worked for anyone in my life. I have been a professional and entrepreneur all my adult life—running my own companies in Nigeria and abroad. Even when my husband was governor of the central bank and now as the first lady of Anambra, I have never depended upon public funds. As first lady of Anambra, I do not have any budget from the government. Two, I never met Dr. Mbadinuju of blessed memory in my life. Three, in my 55 years on planet earth, I have known ONLY ONE MAN, Chukwuma Soludo. I married him as a virgin and my fidelity to him in 33 years of marriage and for life is ironclad. This may be difficult for an Uche Ekwunife to comprehend.
5. With the clarifications above, I make the following challenges to Uche Ekwunife:
(a) Oath of fidelity and chastity
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. You mentioned screenshotting someone’s name and putting in your Bible. So, you must know the efficacy of the Holy Book. We should also add the Bible with the Sacrament. 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. Let us do this between now and mid October 2025.
(b) Paternity Tests
6. I challenge you, Uche Ekwunife, for us to subject our children to paternity tests. Science has made life easy and there are things you cannot lie about nowadays. To avoid any stories in Nigerian hospitals, let us do it in three reputable hospitals in London. You and your family are often in London. But I will pay the expenses. As a businesswoman, I will pay for you and your family’s travels as well as for the tests. If after the tests it is confirmed that your husband is the father of ALL your children, I will congratulate you with a cash award. I can confirm that my family is ready for this test any moment of your choice, preferably between now and end of October/November 2025. As a woman of conservative Catholic upbringing, I pride myself in my chastity. What about you? In the name of God, you must accept the above harmless challenges about your fidelity/chastity as a “distinguished” Senator.
7. I watched part of your hilarious emotional outburst and infantile invectives on my husband. Laughable indeed! You know and we know the source of your frustrations. But let me assure you that the globally celebrated professor is too clean, too decent, and too sophisticated to waste his time on low lives. Nwoke bu nwoke! Enough said for now.
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