By Favour Goodness
Dr Mathias Ichoku, National Rescue Movement (NRM) guber aspirant in Anambra state has threatened to drag the party and its leadership before the dreaded Okija Shrine over his disqualification.
Ichoku said in Awka on Saturday that he was made to believe that he was a sole candidate of the party in the Nov. 6th Anambra governorship election.
He the party instead sold fake interest/nomination forms to him
He urged 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 and engaged in the activities of the party to walk with caution.
Ichoku appealed to the National Working Committee of the Party, headed by Sen. Saidu Mohammad, to do the needful as required of them.
According to him, the quest to be the youngest governor of Anambra state lead him into NRM through the internet.
“I got to know about the party through internet browsing.
“I contacted the party national secretariat in Abuja, through browsing. I was told that the interest/nomination forms for the Anambra guber poll was sold for N200,000 and N250,000 each.
“So, I was happy to be the next governor under the party platform, then I travelled down to Abuja, where I met the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Chinedu Obidike, and he 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.
“Obidike sweet-mouthedly told me that I will single-handedly sponsor the party electioneering activities in Anambra state because the party has no money, office and structure in the state – in which I excellently agreed.
“But to my greatest surprise, on the scheduled day for the primary 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.
“He told me that the original guber form for the party was sold at the rate of N300,000 and N350,000 naira respectively and that my membership in the party has not matured for the number one seat in Anambra government house,” he said.
The aggrieved aspirant said he had spent over N1million including the National party officials flight ticket from Abuja to Anambra and their food, hotel bills – all for the process.
Ichoku accused the National Publicity Secretary of the party of conniving with Anambra state party Chairman, Mr Nwama Unachukwu of behind his disqualification.
“As I speak to you now, I am disorganised. I don’t know what to do.
“I am calling on the NRM to fulfil their promise by making me the governorship candidate or return my money, else, I have no option than to sue the party to Court or Okija shrine”.
Reacting, State Chairman of NRM, Mr Nwama Unachukwu, said Ichoku was disqualified for being arrogant and a new member of the party.
In his swift defence, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Barrister Obidike, denied the allegations, saying “it was the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party to disqualify Ichoku over his desperation to emerged as the party candidate by all means.
“Because he wants to get it, by all means, he brought into the venue thugs and practically harassed our national organising Secretary, Onowu Nwafor Orizu and other leaders of the party.
“Ichoku joins the party one week before the primary and he thought he will emerge as the sole candidate without knowing that the party have other aspirants vying for the position.
“NRM with about 90 practising Lawyers as members believes in transparency and equal right for all card-carrying members. So the party, being among the recognised political parties in Nigeria did not have or sell fake forms to any Anambra governorship aspirants.
“I want to used the medium to appealed to Ichoku to accept the party decision and work for the victory of the party, come Nov. 6,” he said.
I would be recalled that the party picked Lady Uchenna Okpeke as its flag bearer for the Nov. 6 election.
The primary election which took place in Awka, on July 1, has 64 party delegates from the 21 local government areas of the state.
