Cubana Chief Priest Loses APC Reps Primary in Imo
Imo State – Popular businessman and celebrity socialite, Cubana Chief Priest, has lost the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Orlu/Orsu/Oru East Federal Constituency seat ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The nightlife entrepreneur, whose real name is Pascal Okechukwu, contested for the APC ticket under the platform of the ruling party in Imo State but failed to secure victory at the primaries conducted recently.
According to results from the exercise, Chief Priest polled only 14 votes out of a possible 2,845 votes cast by party delegates, losing overwhelmingly to Hon. Canicemore Omeogo, who emerged winner of the contest.
Chief Priest, who currently serves as the South-East Coordinator of the City Boy Movement — a political support group aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu — had formally declared his intention to represent the people of Orlu, Orsu and Oru East Federal Constituency in April 2026.
During his declaration, the socialite visited the APC State Secretariat in Imo State where he informed party leaders of his ambition and sought the support of stakeholders within the party structure.
In a video and Instagram post that circulated widely on social media at the time, he stated that he visited the secretariat to congratulate the newly emerged party executives and also make known his “humble aspiration” to represent his people at the National Assembly.
Chief Priest’s political ambition attracted significant public attention due to his celebrity status, close association with prominent figures in the Tinubu political camp, and his active involvement in youth mobilization activities across the South-East region.
He had also reportedly met with Seyi Tinubu during consultations ahead of the primary election and promised empowerment programmes targeted at youths in Imo State as part of his campaign agenda.
However, despite his visibility and strong online influence, party delegates overwhelmingly rejected his bid at the APC primaries, dealing a major setback to his first major political outing.
The outcome has since generated mixed reactions on social media, with supporters and critics debating the influence of celebrity status in grassroots politics and party delegate elections in Nigeria.
