NRM flagbearer, Nwa-Anyajike commends Supreme Court ruling on party dispute

CYRIL MBAH, Abuja

The embattled Presidential Flagbearer of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Okwudili Nwa-Anyajike has commended the Supreme Court ruling which faulted and nullified the judgement of two lower courts in the protracted leadership dispute of the party.

The candidate stated that the Supreme Court’s setting aside of the ruling of the Federal High Court and the Appeal Court on the illegal substitution of his name on the list of approved candidates for the 2023 general election, has shown that the judiciary still remains the last hope of oppressed Nigerian citizens.

In a statement signed by Iliyasu Samaila Adamu, National Publicity Secretary and issued in Abuja, Nwa-Anyajike announced the expulsion of some of its party members.

The National Chairman of the NRM, Isaac Udeh, the Organising Secretary Mohamed Dirisu, the Welfare Officer, Chinedu Obi and Felix Osakwe, who was named as the presidential candidate of the party, were among those who were expelled from the party. 

The statement warned the public against transacting any business with the officials warning that anybody who deals with them does so at their own risk.

“We want to use this medium to inform the general public that anyone who transacts any business with them, be it political or otherwise, does that at his or her own risk.”

“As it stands now, a court case awaits them for the forgery they committed in this issue. The forensic investigations which were positive and conducted by the police will soon be charged to court, which if established by the court is liable to 13 years imprisonment,” the statement said.

The statement, which was titled, “Supreme Court judgement, serious fraud and aiding of criminals by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” faulted the role of some officials of the electoral commission, particularly of the official identified as Babalola O. O., an Idriss Aminu and a Musa Bashir.

The party leadership’s statement also claimed that there is no faction in the NRM as alleged in some legal documents.

The party alleged that INEC officials collected the sum of N7, 000, 000 in dollar denominations from the Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group (NDMG) group where Isaac Udeh serves as chairman.

The NRM also alleged the officials took another N7, 500, 000 to open an INEC portal on July 25, 2022, that was officially closed on July 15, 2022, to remove the name of Nwa-Anyajike to substantiate their act that he has voluntarily withdrawn his candidature from the presidential race.

“The rot in the 2023 election, as orchestrated by these INEC officials is meant to cause strife during the 2023 election and I am afraid that the election has already been rigged,” the statement continued.

“If INEC staff can stoop so low for the sake of a mere N7. 5 million, then imagine what will happen when big parties offer them N1 billion.”

“There is a court judgement and an order that confirms that there is no faction in the party and that the Commission should accept and obey the decision of the party in the National Executive Council (NEC) meetings.”

“Why then has INEC for three months refused to implement the judgement of the court?” the statement questioned.

When contacted for comments on the allegations, the National Chairman of NRM, Udeh said “the action of the former candidate is laughable because Nwa-Anyajike is not a member of the party and has no legal right to suspend or expel anybody.”

Udeh also stated that even Adamu, the former North West zonal vice chairman of NRM, who signed the statement as National Publicity Secretary was suspended earlier.

Udeh said that their suspension was properly documented for the world to see.

“Who gave them the right or the power to suspend officials of the party? These were people who were dismissed from NRM for anti-party activities by the NEC of NRM and the proceedings were properly documented and implemented,” he said.

“We do not know Mazi and his group and we have no criminal case in the Force CID or anywhere,” the chairman concluded.