Anambra Guber Aspirant Threaten to Drag Party to Shrine over Disqualification
A governorship aspirant, Dr. Mathias Ichoku, has threaten to drag his political party, National Rescue Movement (NRM) and it leadership before the deadly Okija shrine for selling fake guber interest/nomination form to him as a soul candidate, in the forthcoming November 6th, 2021 Anambra governorship election.
He call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to de-registered the party, alleging that the party is engaged in fraudulent practices.
He also urged Nigerians who are card carrying members of the party, engaged in the activies of the party, to work with care.
Dr. Ichoku, who spoke to some selected Journalists, shortly after he was disqualified as the soul candidate of NRM, at the party’s Primary election, plan to hold at Indigo Hotel Awka, on Wenesday, June 30, 2021, appeal to the National Working Committee of the Party, headed by Senator Saidu Mohammad, to do the needful as required of them.
According to Ichoku, the quest to be the youngest governor of Anambra state lead him into NRM through internet. I got to know about the party through internet browzing.
In his words; I came across the contact adresss of the party National Secretariat Abuja, through browzing. I was told that the interest /nomination forms for Anambra guber polls were sold for 200,000 and 250,000 naira each. So I was happy to be the next governor under the party platform, then I travel down to Abuja, where I made the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Chinedu Obidike, that fraudulently informed me that the forms are sold at the above mention prices and that I would be made soul candidate of the party in the election.
“Barrister Obidike sweet-mouthly told me that I will single-handlingly sponsored the party electioneering activies in Anambra state because the party has no money, office and structure in the state, in which I excellently aggreed.
But to my greatest surprise on the sheduled day for the primary, at the above address in Awka, I was told by the State Chairman of the party, Mr. Nze Nwama Unachukwu, that I was not qualified to contest the primary election because the original guber form for the party was sold at the rate of #300,000 and #350,000 naira respectively and that my membership in the party has not matured for the number one seat in Anambra government house.
He said ever since the electoral process started, he has spend over 1million naira including the National party officials flight ticket from Abuja to Anambra and their food, hotel bills, all for the process.
He accused the National Publicity Secretary of the party of coniving with Anambra state party Chairman, Mr. Nwama Unachukwu, of being behind his disaqualification after stoling politically from him.
As I speak to you journalists now, I am disorginised. I don’t know what to do, Ichoku lament
“I am calling on the NRM to fulfied their promised by making me the governorship candidate or retuned my money, elsed, I have no option then to sue the party to Court or Okija shrine.
The State Chairman of NRM, Mr. Nwama Unachukwu, maintain that Dr. Ichoku was disqualified for being arogant and a new member of the party.
But in his swift defense, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Barrister Obidike, denied all the allegation, saying it was the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC), of the party to disqualified him (Ichoku) over his desperation to emerged the party candidate by all means.
“Because, he what to get it by all means he brought into the venue, thugs and practically harrased our national organising Secretary, Onowu Nwafor Orizu and other leaders of the party.
“Dr. Ichoku join the party, one week before the primary and he thought he will emerged the soul candidate, without knowing that the party have other aspirants vying for the position.
NRM with about ninty practicing Lawyers as members, believes in transperancy and equal right for all card carrying members. So the party, being among the reconginsed political parties in Nigeria did not have or sale fake form to any Anambra governorship aspirants.
“I what to used the medium to appealed to Dr. Ichoku to accept the party decision and work for the victory of the party, come November 6th, 2021, the party spokeman stated.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the party, later picks lady Uchenna Adaobi Okpeke, as it flag bearer for the November 6th election.
The primary election which took place at Best Western Meloc Hotel, Awka, on July 1, 2021, has 64 party delegates from the 21 local government area of the state.