Politics
By Anthony Isibor.
ANTHONY Onochie Ochei, a Delta North Senatorial aspirant under the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, has petitioned the NNPP National Assembly Electoral Appeal Panel for Delta state over what he described as flawed primary election.
In a statement by his Campaign Organisation signed on June 3, 2022, Ochei is asking the panel to declare him as the actual winner of party’s primary election held on May 28, 2022 at NNPP Secretariat in Asaba, Delta State.
The petition is also accusing Mariam Amodu Ali of reckless display of anti party activities during the recently conducted election NNPP Delta North Senatorial District Primary Election.
Realnews recalls that Mariam Amodu Ali, wife of the former PDP Chairman had been declared the winner of the NNPP Delta North senatorial primary held at the party’s Secretariat in Asaba, Delta state by officials of party and observed by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials.
However, this has continued to attract huge protests from NNPP members in Delta North Senatorial zone, Delta state and the entire nation.
According to the petition signed by Otojah Jarius Ede, Upper Chambers Law Firm, Abuja, and addressed to the Chairman, Election Panel, NNPP Delta State and copied to National Leader, National Chairman, and Delta State Chairman respectively, Ochei is also demanding for justice to redress the sham and charade dated May 30, 2022
The petition reads inter as follows: “We are solicitors to Messrs Ochei Anthony Onochie, a Chartered Accountant, Chartered Tax Practitioners, Professional Forensic Accountant and politician, herein referred to as our client.”
“Our client is a bona fide, member of the New Nigeria Peoples Part, NNPP, and one of the candidates aspiring for the office of the Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria under the prayed NNPP, to represent the people of Delta North Senatorial District in Delta state.”
“Our client contested in the just concluded NNPP Primary Election that held on Saturday, 28th May 2022 at the Party Secretariat in Asaba, Delta state where he contested with Mariam Amodu Ali.”
The petition to the NNPP panel argued that the primary election was flawed on the following counts: Procedural irregularities that included, inflation of number votes of 150 accredited “delegates” announced by before voting turned to 164 votes counted and announced after voting. Secondly, non-accreditation of “delegates” without proper validation of with party membership.
Secondly, anti-party activities as contained in Article 7 of NNPP Constitution that no member shall belong to more than one political party (1)“Membership of the shall be open to every Nigerian irrespective of place of origin or ethnic background….” (3) “The person shall not be a member of any other political party association….”
The petitioner adduced, “As at the time of this exercise and till now, our client’s opponent, Mariam Amodu Ali is still a card carrying member of the APC in Ward 6, Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta state.”
“Ali did not resign nor denounce her membership of the APC orally or formally, the very reason you will notice that she never made any public appearance or comments to identify with the NNPP either in print, electronic or social media as she did loudly and when she joined the APC in November 2017,” the petition noted.
Ochei prayed the NNPP panel to declare him as the dully elected candidate of NNPP for Delta North Senatorial District being the only qualified candidate that contested for the seat in the said primary election without delay as his opponent was not qualified to vie for the seat as she stands disqualified ab initio under the extant laws regulating elections in Nigeria as contained in the 1999 Constitution as Amended; the Electoral Act 2022, and the NNPP Constitution.
First published – June 07, 2022 @ 21:58 GMT | AI.
Tags: ANTHONY Onochie Ochei Mariam Amodu Ali NNPP PDP
