From Okwe Obi, Abuja
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo state, Uzoma Ugochukwu, has claimed that the party’s primary for Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala federal constituency was manipulated by those in high places.
He said he was in court to challenge the outcome in order to save democracy and to tame the tide of impunity in party leaders.
Ugochukwu, who contested the said position challenged the declaration of Chibuzor Agulanna as winner of the primary, citing violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act and party’s constitution.
Addressing news at the weekend in Abuja, he accused the leadership of the PDP in Imo state of colluding with some interested parties to deny him the ticket, when they moved the election out of the federal constituency, as provided in both the Electoral Act and PDP constitution
“They lumped everything together and that gave rooms for manipulation. That is why we are seeking a redress in court so that these persons who come together and act as if they own the institution completely without believing in due process.
“This is no longer the usual game. We will seek justice and we are ready to pursue it to the last point until justice is served. If it does not happen that way, people will think that we can continue to do the impunity and get away with it because nothing happens.
“The key thing is that party leaders or persons who ascribed to themselves as party leaders want to control the whole thing.
“They control and pick people who govern the party from the ward level, and then they use them to determine who takes what position at other levels of the election because they use them as delegates and when tell them what to do. There is really no internal democracy in the parties.
“The truth is that in this instance, the provisions of the Electoral Act and the PDP constitution were fragrantly violated.
“For example, both the Electoral Act and the PDP constitution stated clearly that the primary for such elections must hold at the party’s constituency office.
“So in my case, the election was supposed to be held in either Aboh Mbaise or Ngor/Okpala, but they disobeyed this when they took the election to Owerri Municipal area. That was the first violation
“So if they decide to violate the provisions of the Electoral Act or the party constitution, of course the whole election is null and void, because the rule of law must start from the party itself.
“You cannot put down the constitution as a guide and you do something different. Nobody was informed on time about the new date,” he stated.
On why he participated in the exercise, he said, “I only participated in the election because that was the only thing that would give me the reason to challenge it.
“It is only when you participate that you would have the right to challenge whatever the outcome is against you. If you decide to stay away from the election, then it becomes a problem. You didn’t participate so you may have right to challenge the outcome
“For me as a Nigerian, I think it is time for persons who feel that they have something to offer to come out and challenge the status quo.
“That is why I will continue to run. When we all allow the system to this way where certain person continue to dominate it, we will continue to get it wrong.
“Yes it might be difficult given what is involved, but we must take the large heart to be able to jump in and say yes we have a country, a society that we must work hard to save.”