Election: INEC Frustrating My Participation, Says ADC Presidential Candidate, Kachikwu

*Rules out possibility of adopting Obi

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of deliberately frustrating his chances to contest the forthcoming elections.

Kachikwu, who addressed journalists in his office in Abuja, however vowed not to quit the race.

He also said the action of the electoral umpire would not force him to adopt any frontline presidential candidate due to frustration.

He noted with concern that INEC despite a court verdict which terminated the tenure of Chief Ralph Nwosu as the Chairman of the party, has continued to relate with him and his team.

He specifically said the decision of the electoral umpire to release the agents code to Nwosu was a big threat to his presidential ambition and the aspirations of other ADC candidates across the country. 

He said, “As you are all aware, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court gave a ruling on the 20th of December, last year affirming the end of the tenure of the Ralph Nwosu led NWC and nullifying all actions taken by the illegal body from the end of August 2022 till the date of the ruling.

“This ordinarily should have put an end to the crisis in the African Democratic Congress, but an obviously biased INEC failed to obey this ruling and continued their unholy alliance with Ralph Nwosu.

“I and other candidates of my party were unable to present any agents to represent us in the forthcoming elections as INEC released the agent codes to the Nwosu faction of the party.

“After achieving their nefarious objectives, in the last week, the same INEC has now written to Senator Mrs. Patricia Akwashiki, the Board Of Trustees Chairman of our party affirming and accepting that there exists a leadership vacuum within the party since the tenure of Ralph Nwosu had since lapsed and asking for arbitration between the factions in the party.

“This is very disingenuous of INEC because they only chose to do this after the deadline for agent submission had elapsed. 

“ADC candidates across the country have informed me that the same agent codes have been sold by the Nwosu faction to the highest bidder from other parties. 

“INEC has not only damaged and frustrated my candidacy and that of most candidates in my party, but they have undermined the integrity of the elections. 

“I am now in consultations with my legal team and the overriding aim of any legal action will be to ensure that INEC doesn’t continue in this practice of working with smaller parties to work as extensions or agents of the bigger parties.”

Kachikwu said he had turned down suggestions from some eminent Nigerians including former President Olusegun Obasanjo to adopt the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi.  

He said, “In the last few weeks, many have asked me why I won’t work with the other new generation parties to support a new generation candidate who has garnered some momentum to get rid of the older parties who they believe have destroyed Nigeria. Some of them believe Peter Obi, the Labour candidate represents the hope of a new Nigeria.

“Today I choose to respond. Like many Nigerians, I had hoped that the APC and PDP would present the next generation of leaders to Nigerians. 

“I personally looked forward to a contest between two of the most brilliant minds the two parties had to offer; Professor Yemi Osinbajo and Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

“A contest between the two of them would have presented Nigerians with the best of ideas, an issues based campaign and abundant solutions to our myriad problems. But alas, Nigeria happened, Dr Okowa failed to run and the All Progressives Congress chose Asiwaju over Osinbajo.

“I entered this race when it became clear to me that Okowa wouldn’t run and Osinbajo would fail to emerge as the APC candidate. 

“The Labour candidate has failed to proffer solutions on the myriad issues that plague our nation and instead has ridden on the divisive platform of tribe, tongue and religion.

“In addition to being able to identify, understand and proffer solutions to our many problems, I am running for office because I strongly believe that tribe, tongue and religion should no longer play a role in our politics or in governance. Tribe and religion have destroyed Nigeria for too long.

“We can’t continue to speak about corruption and fail to see that tribe, tongue and religion are the bedrock of corruption in a multi-plural and multi-ethnic society. 

“Any candidate who runs on this divisive and destructive platform of tribe, tongue and religion should never be supported to emerge as President of Nigeria.

“This is the real meaning of Emilokan. It is the turn of the Ibos is another name for Emilokan. It is the turn of the Yorubas is Emilokan. It is the turn of the Hausas is Emilokan. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi are running on the platform of Emilokan. Emilokan will further ruin Nigeria.”

Kachikwu said the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria was ill-timed, claiming that it was targeted at frustrating the presidential aspiration of the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

He therefore appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to obey the Supreme Court ruling on the matter in order to lessen the hardship it had brought to majority of poor Nigerians across the country. 

He said, “I had long warned that the recolouring of the naira was ill-timed, poorly implemented and designed purely to target the APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. 

“The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El Rufai Kaduna has now confirmed this.

“I again warn that the desperation to stop Asiwaju Tinubu should not plunge Nigeria into a state of anarchy. It is heart-breaking to see that Nigerians have died, banks burnt, properties destroyed and millions suffering as they desperate try to access an unavailable naira.

“Tens of millions of Nigerians operate within the informal sector and earn daily wages between N500 to N10,000 in cash. 

“Most of them live in unbanked or underbanked parts of Nigeria and they now bear the brunt of this ill-conceived policy. 

“Don’t we have any conscience as leaders? How do we go to bed at night knowing that Nigerians are queuing outside banks all through the night just to get N5000?

“Poor Nigerians bear the burden of the failures associated with this recolouring. We now watch as mayhem spreads across our cities and convince ourselves that this is a price worth paying as long as it benefits the candidate of our choice. This is evil. Nigerians shouldn’t have to die because politicians are fighting for the soul of our nation.

“I once again reiterate that if anyone has any actionable intelligence that suggests the APC candidate or any other politician has stashed billions in looted funds anywhere, our law enforcement agencies still remain the best option to recover such funds and prosecute those involved.

“Our President must understand that Tinubu and the APC alone bear the moral burden of a physically and mentally incapacitated presidential candidate who chooses to stay in the race. It is an APC problem and shouldn’t lead to loss of lives or illegal manoeuvring all in a bid to truncate his ambition.

“I appeal to President Buhari, please obey the Supreme Court judgement and put an end to the suffering of Nigerians. 

“For a President who continues to say he is fighting corruption, he must understand that impeding, interfering or obstructing the chances of targeted candidates in an election also amounts to corruption. 

“Nigerians deserve free and fair elections. Candidates deserve to run their race free of state actors bullying or obstructing them,” he stated.