Hundreds of protesters on Monday stormed the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja to kick against alleged impersonation of an Action Alliance (AA) House of Representatives aspirant, Ifeanyi Igbokwe, at the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, Abia State.
The protesters said the impersonators of Igbokwe had raised a petition seeking to nullify the election of Honorable Benjamin Kalu Okezie who emerged as the winner of the Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State in the 25th February 2023 General Elections.
According to Vanguard, Abel Kings Uche, who addressed newsmen on behalf of the protesters, demanded the police authorities to probe the impersonators who were pushing a false petition under the name of Igbokwe.
The protesters under the aegis of the Centre for Social Justice, Equity, and Transparency urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate the criminal act by an AA faction led by Adekunle Rufai Omoaje.
According to them, “Omoaje filed an Election Petition on behalf of Igbokwe at the National and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal at Umuahia”.
The protesters’ statement added that Igbokwe, an aspirant for the Bende Federal Constituency elections, has “sufficiently indicated through documentary evidence that he was not a party to the petition” and that the Omoaje-led executives are impersonating him.
“Mr Ifeanyi Chukwuka Igbokwe participated in the primary election of Action Alliance but did not participate in the general elections. It is on record that he withdrew his interest when he found out that a faction of the Party conducted the primary election. As such, he was not a candidate for the Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State election in the 2023 General Elections.
“Rt. Honorable Benjamin Kalu Okezie who emerged as the winner of the Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State in the 25th February 2023 General Election into the House of Representatives of the National Assembly, is currently the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“It suffices to mention that Adekunle Rufai Omoaje presented the petition in the court intending to cause unnecessary damage to the reputation and integrity of Mr Ifeanyi Chukwuka Igbokwe.
“This action infringes on his fundamental human rights. It intends to defame and defraud, which is a criminal offence under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Centre for Social Justice, Equity, and Transparency believes that the impersonator and his sponsors have carried out an act that is criminal and against the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Recall that the Action Alliance and the Labour Party (LP) along with their candidates in the February 25, 2023 poll for Bende federal constituency, filed petitions at the National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia. However, in August, the candidate of the Action Alliance(AA) has dramatically disowned the petition linked to him.