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In a move that has set tongues wagging and political pundits scrambling, Nollywood actress Chioma Ifemeludike has thrown her hat into the ring for the upcoming Anambra State gubernatorial election, running under the banner of the African Action Congress (AAC).
But her campaign is shadowed by a past controversy: her 2021 public confession of an affair with prominent cleric, Johnson Suleman. Now, she insists, that chapter is closed, and her focus is squarely on serving the people of Anambra.
“My Nollywood journey and my political journey are two different things. I’ve always been an advocate for good government, for equality, justice, and fairness,” she said in a recent interview.
Her decision to enter politics, she says, stems from a deep-seated desire to serve. “I didn’t see myself being a leader this early, but I knew there was something about me that had to do with service.”
However, the elephant in the room remains her past relationship with Prophet Suleman. In 2021, Ifemeludike publicly confessed to the affair, a revelation that sent shockwaves through the nation. Now, as she seeks to lead Anambra, the question looms: will this controversy derail her political aspirations?
“The controversy about Suleman is something that came out, and I talked about it. I talked about it because I needed to clear this and bring it out in the public space. My confession was a moment of personal liberation, a way to encourage other young women to speak their truth,” the governorship aspirant explained.
Adding, “That was me doing what I thought could liberate me at that time and give me a sense of starting my life on a new note, also considering my walk with God and my Christian faith, which had taken a new turn around that period.”
But she insists that her past is distinct from her political ambitions. “These are significant things in my life, but are they connected to my political career? No! The only people who would want to connect it are propagandists, people who know that I am going to give them a run for their money during these campaigns. They are probably going to try and use it to discourage me, to malign my persona, and put an idea of me that is false out in the public.”
Ifemeludike argues that her ability to confront her past is a sign of strength. “I have seen leaders who didn’t have any sexual controversy like mine, but I have also seen that they were not very good leaders. So, if someone has had a past where they did something that they didn’t like, it wasn’t something that they are proud of or agree with and they come out to talk about it, I think that is strength, and that strength must be what we will look at and hold on to as an advantage.”
She calls her 2021 confession “courageous,” and a testament to her honesty. “Look at me today: I am running for governor. So, if this is not a motivation to you and every other girl or every other person out there, then I don’t know what would be. This is a motivation to Anambra State to say that no matter what mistakes you have made in the past, you can get your life running at a higher frequency or speed.”
