The Nigerian Police Force may commence inquiries into the alleged use of fake ballot papers and other election paraphernalia used for the parallel primary election held by the senator Andy Uba’s faction of the Anambra People’s Democratic party on August 24,2013.
This is coming to the fore after the national leadership of the party requested in a letter that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar should investigate the matter.
There are insinuations however that Uba could have used his position as senate committee chairman on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), not only to compel officials of INEC to monitor his primary but also to acquire the means of getting the ballot papers used for the election where he emerged as the PDP flag bearer in the state.
The national leadership of the PDP has already petitioned INEC to explain why the result of Uba’s primary was upheld against the one PDP sanctioned.
But Sunday Independent reports that the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, feigned ignorance in a text message thus; “I have no such information ticket at the moment please”.
Apart from that, Uba was also accused of compromising INEC officials to endorse the primary that made him the PDP flag bearer in Anambra State through their attendance while shunning the primary that produced Tony Nwoye as PDP flag bearer.
Besides, spokesman for INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu expressed anger over the allegation that some INEC officials were adopted to monitor and endorse the primary that produced Uba as PDP candidate.
“Why do you just make allegation? Did you find out that INEC officials were there? You mean anybody can just tell you anything without you finding out?, he queried.
According to reports, INECvseems to still be in a dilemma on what next to do though Uba emerged the PDP candidate in the primary conducted by the faction of the party led by Ejike Oguebego whose leadership INEC has always recognised as the authentic in Anambra State against that of Prince Ken Emeakayi-led executives.
Sources said during the build-up to the primary, there were attempts to disqualify him but like the proverbial cat with nine lives, he survived all the plots. When it was obvious that he could not be disqualified, the PDP decided to let him run even though there was a grand design to ensure that he was defeated.
“It would have been better for him to run and fail than what he did. Election supervisors were even looking for him everywhere to enable participate in the exercise, but he went into hiding, only for us to hear later he was holding a parallel primary”, it was revealed.
Another source from PDP South East zonal official also revealed that that several attempts made to compromise the South East PDP zonal executives were not successful.
Also according to reports, Uba was said to have doled out large chunk of money to other contenders of the PDP tickets to enable them step down for him but they simply collected his money and ignored him while pledging their allegiance to the duo billionaires of Anambra State, Arthur Eze and Emeka Offor, who were working for the emergence of Nwoye.