Essential Ndubuisi
PIF Media ⛱️
13/06/2021
AS I WITNESSED
My attention has been drawn to a trending story in many social media handles linking me to a report that “i was given three million naira by one of the Gubernatorial Aspirants (Dr Obiora Okonkwo as mentioned in the report) to rig and disrupt election in Anaocha Local Government Area.
I would have ignored the post and allegation looking at it’s baselessness, but for the interest of my family, friends, political associates and colleagues who have been very worried about the devilish post, i now chose to address the issue.
To start with, i represented my great party as a GUIDER/AGENT in Anaocha Local Government (my home LGA) during the adhoc delegate congress held on 11th June 2021.
It was based on my experience as a consumate and astute politician that my party had to repose that confidence in me, knowing fully well that i had in the past carried out such other bigger assignments both at the State and National within my over two decades of involvement for in active party politics and activism.
When we got to Neni the headquarters of Anaocha Local Government in company of 4 persons;
3 Electoral Officers:
Dr Cyril Nnabuchi-team leader
Mr Joseph Gogi
Hon Miller Donatus Ogueri
Mr Izu- a Monitoring Agent (representative of PDP South East Zone
and my humble self
We settled down and i introduced the electoral team to the party members, in return the leader of the team (Dr Cyril Nnabuchi, who claimed to be a lecturer in IMT, Enugu) took over, and addressed the party stakeholders, faithfuls and ward electoral officers who were in their numbers waiting for the team at the secretariat.
He asked if there was any arrangement, the stakeholders in unison chorused to the team that there was a consensus arrangement which is very admissible in party politics) but they were also told by the stakeholders that the ward electoral officers must go to the wards/field for the practical demonstration of that affirmation, the team agreed and pleaded for co-operation of all but little did we know that he ( the team leader) had an ulterior motive and plan (though as this was ongoing, the coordinator of one of the Aspirants was whispering to the team leader) but we had no suspicion because there was no cause for alarm since we had a consensus arrangements.
There and then, the three-man wards electoral officers of all the 19 wards were all accredited and they left out for wards/field
When the wards electoral officers had all left for wards for the practical demonstration of the affirmation and consensus, as we were in the secretariat waiting, two of the team members requested for food, i clearly told them that it would be more better for us to go down and eat since there was no office clerk to do the errands, we all agreed to move down stairs, but as we were moving down, the team leader kept on answering calls intermittently.
We entered our assigned vehicle and the driver took us to a restaurant, as we were eating, he hurriedly ate his meal halfway and we all got up to leave though without any suspicion, immediately as we were still standing for our driver to turn his vehicle, he rushed into another waiting Sienna bus and zoomed off with result sheets which he was holding in a white A4 envelope marked ANAOCHA LGA, immediately we rushed into our car and our driver started pursuing him, we were seeing the vehicle, but they kept on increasing their speed, we were all calling his phone in turns but he never picked the call but kept moving in a high speed, at a time when we got to Oye Neni that had multiple junction, we could not see the vehicle again, as at then he has switched off his phone.
It was at this point that it dawned on me and other electoral officers with me that the young man had a game plan.
At that point, one of the team members placed a call to one of the national leaders of the party.
We kept moving round looking for him, at a time the other team members said that we they need to go back to Awka and report back what we met, as we got back to Awka, the Chairman/Committee members had retired for the day, the following day (today Saturday) the team members went and made their report to the committee.
I was surprised this afternoon when one of my extended family members who resides outside the country put an emergency call to me that she saw a in a WhatsApp group, a digital flier with my photograph and super-imposed write-up on it, immediately i switched on my data which had been off for about three hours, lo and behold i saw an incredible thing which i never imagined that a human being whom God gave a free breath will ever think of doing such to his or her fellow human being in the name of politics.
Without much, i only have one thing to say,
From the phone numbers of those who originated the allegory in social media platforms (i know them and who they are working for, of which i have the records of WhatsApp groups where they posted it) i am giving them five days for the retraction in three national daillies, of which if it expires, i will institute a legal action (for libel and blackmail) against them
I also want to use this opportunity to thank all those who heard of the blackmail and expressed their concern and goodwill through phone calls, text messages, voice notes to my good self, my family members especially my loving Mother who have been very dumb-founded and uneasy on hearing such a story- May God bless you all.
Finally, the act was laughable, but it is always good for someone to do an inward assessment before raising any issue.
I Comrade Chris Chikwelu Jr is politically known all over as someone who believes in due process because i was among those who put their lives on line under the military adminstration struggling for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria during my student days at University of Nigeria Nsukka, so i cannot come out today to bring the house which i was one of the foundation layers.
Other stories are for another day but let us remember that power belongs to God, He giveth and taketh.
Regards and Yours,
Sir Chris Chikwelu Jr, FCED, MNEI, KSP
(Ichele-Agulu)
6:46pm
12th June 2021
