The member representing Aniocha North constituency in the Delta state house of Assembly, Emeka Nwobi has allegedly bribed the leadership of the local government and state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the sum of N5.1 million to install his All Progressive Congress (APC) friend as the councillorship candidate for ward 8 in the forthcoming January 6 council election.
The act which is been described as imposition by members of the PDP in the ward, said the APC member, whose name was given as Ekene Nwaonye was the minority leader of the immediate past legislative arm of Aniocha North and was imposed on the people of ward 8 allegedly by Mr. Nwobi.
A member of the PDP in the area disclosed that Mr. Nwobi bribed some party leaders in the ward, council level and officials of state PDP executive with the sum of N5 million to given the councillorship ticket to the APC member in a disguise defection to PDP.
The Supervisory Councilor in the council area, Christopher Okafor, who spoke with our correspondent, disclosed that the lawmaker sponsored a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who was Minority Leader of Aniocha North Legislative Arm, Ekene Nwaonye, against him after winning the primaries of the party.
“Nwobi gave the Ward chairman, Victor Egbune, the sum of N100, 000 and N5 million to the PDP State executives to allow his candidate to be the councillorship flag bearer of the party against me.” he alleged.
In a petition signed by Okafor’s counsel, S.N Nwalokor, addressed to the Chairman, Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), Mike Ogbodu, obtained by our correspondent in Asaba, said Nwaonye was brought into the picture from the back door.
According to the petition, “Our client is a faithful and law abiding member of PDP, supervisory councilor in Aniocha North local government area of Delta State. He contributed to the building and growth of the PDP in the local government through regular attendance of party meetings, campaigning and voting for the party in all elections that has made the party a winning brand in the area.
“Our client has shown interest to participate in the coming local government councillorship election by putting all political campaign machinery on ground to ensure his victory in the coming local government election. Our client has in this regards consulted widely by reaching out to all well-meaning members of the PDP leaders, youth and women to ensure his victory through a democratic selection by the party.
“Our client was amazed upon the aforesaid preparation and foundation in place to secure the councillorship candidate of his party that one Ekene Nwaonye, a member of APC and Minority Leader in the Aniocha North legislative councilor was projected through the back doors by some unscrupulous and so-called leaders in the local government area to emerge as the PDP candidate of Ward 8 Aniocha North LGA.
“This unlawful decision to make Ekene an APC member to fly the flag of PDP in the coming local government election has thrust up avalanche of reactions from well-meaning members of public including the Aniocha North local government legislature, ACP Ward 7 chapter of Aniocha North LGA Office of the leader of Aniocha North local government and finally The report of the screening committee for Councillorship Aspirant in Ward 8.
“These aforementioned reaction to the purported PDP Candidature of Nwaonye are all in an accord to confirm the fact that Ekene Nwaonye is not a PDP member but a card carrying member of APC. We hereby attach to this petition all those aforementioned documents for your perusal and necessary action.
“Sir, it is our passionate appeal that Ekene Nwaonye be disqualify as a PDP councillorship candidate of Ward 8 in Aniocha North LGA in the interest of justice, fair play and best democratic practices. Ekene Nwaonye cannot reap where he did not sow. He must be a PDP member before he can fly the flag of PDP in any election. The due process of the constitution and electoral law must be abided by all, a regulatory body like the DSIEC is needed in this regards to put things straight and give honour to whom honour is due”, the petition added.
Meanwhile, all effort to reach The member representing Aniocha North constituency in the Delta state house of Assembly, Emeka Nwobi amd Ekene Nwaonye for comments were not successful.