Anambra guber: NRM tackles INEC over alleged impostition of candidate

Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

In response to claims that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) forced a candidate on the party for the upcoming Anambra State gubernatorial election, the National Rescue Movement (NRM) says it has gotten in touch with its legal team.

The NRM expressed surprise that INEC, which had rejected its National Electoral Committee (NEC), which had been established at its most recent emergency convention on January 17, had now published the name of a candidate for the election.

The party’s immediate-past national chairman, Mr. Isaac-Chigozie Udeh, who is also the NRM’s national organizing secretary, confirmed this to reporters in Abuja on Wednesday.

Udeh said that although his name “still remains the party’s national chairman in INEC’s record and website,” he, at no time, submitted any candidate’s name to the electoral body for his party in respect of the Anambra election.

“On January 16, 2025, we got an order impelling INEC to monitor our emergency national convention slated for January 17, 2025. INEC was duly notified.

“The emergency national convention was held and Chief Edozie Njoku and other national executives were elected.

“I stepped down (as the National Chairman) to become the National Organising Secretary of the party.

“On March 5, 2025, Hon. Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, went further to give a judgement impelling INEC to accept and recognise the outcome of the January 17, 2025, emergency national convention of the party,” he said.

He said INEC monitored an unlawful NEC meeting on January 27, 2025, and an Emergency National Convention on April 14, 2025, despite being aware of the court order on January 16 and the decision on March 5.

He claimed that this was completely against the court order that was in place at the time, which required the commission to acknowledge the party’s national executives that were formed during the Jan. 17 convention.

“INEC went ahead to reject all the letters we wrote notifying them of our electoral activities in preparation for the Anambra governorship election and the need for them to monitor it as required by the law.

“Brazenly, INEC chose to monitor the illegal governorship primaries organised by Mr. Chinedu Obi, the National Welfare Officer of the party,” he said.

Udeh charged certain INEC officials with allegedly undermining the NRM’s goal and attempts to operate successfully as a political party under Chief Njoku’s new leadership.

He accused that the aforementioned personnel had deceived INEC and violated Subsection 2.5(a), (b), and (d) of the Electoral Act 2022, which deals with how a political party submits its list of candidates and their details to INEC.

“It is abundantly clear that the purported name inserted against NRM, in the Anambra governorship election does not have the approval of the legally recognised NRM National Chairman, Chief Edozie Njoku.

“It also does not have my endorsement, as the man whose names still adorns the commission’s website,” he stated.

He questioned how the aforementioned INEC officials obtained both his and Njoku’s signatures and accused them of forging them.

“This is the requirement of the law. Outside the two of us, no other person(s) has the right to sign or authenticate the party’s candidate.

“Our lawyers have been contacted to act accordingly in addressing this very disturbing scenario.

“We urge Nigerians that holding public office holders accountable is part of our civic duty. No one should shy away from it,” Udeh said.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.