By Polycarp Ifeanyi, Onitsha
As Anambra State mourns the lives lost in the Okija stampede, the governorship aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November 8, 2025, Anambra State gubernatorial election, Sir Paul Chukwuma, has commiserated with families who lost their loved ones in the tragic incident that marred the distribution of Christmas gifts.
Sir Paul Chukwuma, a leading APC aspirant for the 2025 gubernatorial election in Anambra State, expressed deep shock at the scale and nature of the stampede, which claimed numerous lives.
In a statement signed by James Eze, the campaign spokesman for Sir Chukwuma, and made available to newsmen, he noted that the incident had brought untold grief and sadness to Ndi Anambra during a season meant for love and joy.
He stated, “Ndi Anambra, this tragedy has touched us all, but it must not be allowed to break the Anambra spirit—our sense of community, our legendary philanthropy, and our belief that wealth has no meaning until it brings relief and happiness to ordinary people.”
Sir Chukwuma observed that the communal spirit of the people has always peaked during times of adversity. He urged Anambra’s wealthy indigenes not to be discouraged by the Okija incident but to think creatively about ways to reach out and support their communities this Christmas.
He further noted that the mystery of life is so complex that sometimes, well-intentioned efforts to bring succor to people could result in unexpected outcomes. He called for collective introspection and prayers for the peaceful repose of the souls of the deceased and for speedy healing for their grieving families.
“We are in mourning. I have directed my campaign council to suspend the planned physical distribution of Christmas gifts to various communities for now and to quickly come up with a strategy that will cause minimal discomfort to the intended beneficiaries,” said Sir Chukwuma.
“My family and I shall continue to hold the grieving families in our prayers and ask God to grant them a speedy healing from their irreparable losses,” he concluded.
It will be recalled that an effort by a well-known and highly respected Anambra-born philanthropist to distribute Christmas gifts to people in Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, resulted in a stampede that claimed many lives over the weekend.
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