Anambra Gov Poll: NRM charges INEC over alleged imposition of candidate

By IFEOMA NWOVU

The National Rescue Movement, NRM, says it has contacted its team of lawyers to address the alleged imposition of candidate on the party by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra state.

At a media briefing in Abuja, the immediate-past National Chairman of the NRM, Mr Isaac-Chigozie Udeh demanded that INEC must explain who it released the party’s code to upload names of candidates or face law suit.

Mr. Chigozie Udeh, who is now the National Organising Secretary of the Party, expressed worry that INEC which had refused to recognise its National Electoral Committee, constituted at its last emergency convention on January 17, would turn around to publish the name of a candidate for the poll.

“INEC went ahead to reject all the letters we wrote notifying them of our electoral activities in preparation for the Anambra governorship election and the need for them to monitor it as required by the law.”

Mr. Chigozie Udeh further accused some identified INEC’s officials of allegedly subverting the intention and efforts of the NRM to function effectively as a political party under a new leadership led by Chief Edozie Njoku.

“It is abundantly clear that the purported name inserted against NRM, in the Anambra Governorship Election doesn’t have the approval of the legally recognized NRM National Chairman, Chief Edozie Njoku nor does it have my endorsement, the man whose names still adorns the Commission’s website. This is the requirement of the law.”

“I want the world to note that it is not the first time that two women Mrs Arabs Joan Directors and her deputy, Mrs Nkechi Abu of the EPM Department in INEC, will unilaterally take decisions for the Party, for reasons best known to them.”

“Unarguably, Mrs Arabs Joan and Mrs Nkechi Abu are in utter violation of section 2.0 (Procedure for the submission of nomination forms by political parties) of the commission’s revered ‘Guidelines for Nomination of Candidates for Elections of 2022’, which was duly signed by the chairman of the commission himself, for easy operations and transparency in nomination of candidates during elections.

The NRM therefore urged Nigerians to hold public office holders accountable, as it was part of their civic duties.