By Abbanobi -Eku Onyeka
Aspirant for Idemili North and South Federal Constituency under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chiogo Constance Ikoku, has faulted the party’s primary election held on May 29 and called for its outright cancellation, describing the exercise as a “brazen criminal act” that denied members their right to choose.
In a press release made available to journalists, on Sunday, Ikoku said she and her supporters arrived at the designated venue in Idemili North and South from morning until about 2pm. She stated that no real election took place to enable members to vote by popular choice.
“What we saw was confusion, thugs of opposing candidates fighting one another, shots fired and people running for their lives,” Ikoku stated, noting that the atmosphere made any form of voting impossible.
She warned that it would be shocking if the party went ahead to name a winner from the incident. According to her, any candidate declared winner would have emerged through violence contrary to natural justice, equity and good conscience.
“I repeat, no direct primary election took place in Idemili North and South Federal Constituency,” she insisted, rejecting any result that might be announced from the disrupted process.
Ikoku urged the NDC leadership to investigate the roles played by opposing candidates and their supporters in disrupting the process. She also called for a probe into officials saddled with organizing the election, whose “apparent failure, negligence, or inability to properly manage the process” contributed to the collapse.
“As we await a statement from the party on what transpired, I urge everyone to remain calm,” she said, assuring her supporters that the setback was not the end of the journey.
Concluding with her campaign slogan, Ikoku reaffirmed her commitment to public service. “Thank you for believing in me. This is not the end. It’s just the beginning. I remain committed to working for the overall good of our people. Politics For Public Good. Take Back Your Government,” she declared.
