Iwu’s daughter petitions PDP

Posted by admin Elections 2011 Saturday, January 22nd, 2011

One of the candidates for the Mbaitoli-Ikeduru Federal Constituency, Imo State, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mrs. Ijeoma Nwafor, has formally kicked against the outcome of the primary for her constituency.

Nwafor, in a letter to the party, dated January 11, 2011, and made available to Sunday Tribune, faulted the primary election.

Nwafor, daughter of former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Maurice Iwu, said in the petition that there were 60 votes more than the number of delegates for the primary.

The appeal letter, which was backed by another from Nwafor’s lawyer, Barrister Chigozie N. Tims Iheama, noted that whereas the federal constituency had 555 accredited delegates, 615 votes were cast at the primary.

The votes included 582 designated votes and 33 voided votes.

While Nwafor scored 252 votes, Hon. Bethel Amadi. Tge, incumbent representative who won the primary, had 292 votes.

Other contestants were Chief Collins Ofegbu (15), Prince Orunwa (10), Barrister Kingsley Ononuju (1), Dr. Emma Ogueri (7) and Villa Onyeji (5).
Nwafor said of the result in her appeal letter, “This means the total number of votes cast is more than the 555 delegates present at the primary. Mbaitoli LGA has 277 delegates, while Ikeduru has 278.

“Based on the figures, 27 designated votes are over the number of delegates available, coupled with 33 voided votes, this means 60 votes are over the number of delegates available.”

Nwafor said it was based on this discrepancy that she called for a rerun at the nearest possible date and with the hope that better security would be put in placeto ensure a hitch-free primary.

“In addition, it was also observed that several persons who were neither delegates, officials, nor security were moving around the polling booths, even before voting proceeded,” she added.

Nwafor said she has come to the conclusion that her loss was because of her gender, stressing that “In my humble opinion, all the rigging and electioneering was done to ensure that a woman does not emerge.

“I am clearly the choice of the people. When the incumbent was asked before the primary election to step down for me by the members of the PDP in the federal constituency in order to enhance the chances of the PDP winning the seat during the general election, he stated publicly that he cannot step down for a woman.

“No woman emerged as a PDP candidate for any of the 10 federal house slots available in Imo State and only two emerged in the House of Assembly out of 27 slots.

“All the female incumbents lost in both the federal and state houses.

“However, my margin even with the rigging puts me in a better position to be the PDP flag bearer. . . .”

Nwafor, who also sent copies of the letter of appeal to the National Woman Leader of the PDP, the Minister for Women Afairs and Social Development, the Imo State governor and the chairman of the PDP in the state, added that, “Please, my chairman speak for me, fight for us women.
“This battle is no longer about me but about the female aspirants in PDP who are constantly being battered by the men out of a bid to undermine women.”

Nwafor’s lawyer, Iheama, said the outcome of the primary violated the 2010 Electoral Act and contravened Rule 32A-C of the PDP’s 2010 electoral guidelines.

Iheama, therefore, called for the cancellation of the primary and the conduct of a fresh one.

According to him, “We warn that nobody is above the law and the only remedy to injustice is justice.

“Failure to comply with these demands within time shall compel us to take further steps that will not only expose each of the individual members of these primaries but the electoral panel in such a global scale that has never been done before.

“A word is enough for the wise and a stitch in time saves nine. It is trite law that when the rule of law is jettisoned, anarchy becomes the only beneficiary.”

-Tribune

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