By Jide Orintunsin, Abuja
The screening committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for primary of Imo North Senatorial District has faulted the victory of Mr. Frank Ibezim, stating he was not qualified to contest.
Chairman of the committee, Dr. Lawrence Chuku, said Ibezim and five others were not cleared to contest the September 3, 2020 primary.
He alleged the party jettisoned his committee report and allowed all the disqualified aspirants to contest.
But a three -page document obtained by The Nation dated 27th August, 2020 titled “Imo North Senatorial By-Election Screening Committee Report” signed by Chuku and six other members of the committee cleared all eleven aspirants for the primary election.
Addressing newsmen on Monday at the party secretariat, Chuku said: “Unfortunately, with utmost dismay, we noticed that our report which cleared five aspirants and have six not cleared for very cogent and verifiable reasons were jettisoned.
“Both the aspirants cleared and not cleared were allowed to run for the Senatorial primaries, embarrassingly, one of the aspirants not cleared is being touted as having emerged as one of the winners of the said controversial primary election.”
He added: “Therefore in compliance with section 11 of same guideline stipulating the roles and responsibilities of the screening committee, we have done our job sincerely, honestly and diligently without fear or favour but we have observed that Mr. Frank lbezim who is purported to be one of the possible flag bearers of our party, was not cleared to contest the Imo North Senatorial primary elections on the following grounds.
“He did not submit any originals of his educational qualification certificates or properly certified true copies for citing.
“He presented a statutory declaration of age deposed to by one Emmanuel lbezim, who happens to be his elder brother.
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“The statutory age declaration was not signed by the declarant, which rendered the document invalid.
“He submitted another affidavit stating the loss of his not academic qualification certificates which was not signed by the deponent, this also rendered the document invalid.
“The said unsigned affidavit did not have a police extract in support, to show that he reported to the law enforcement authority.
“Mr. Frank lbezim submitted the photocopies of his academic certificates which he said were missing namely, WAEC Certificate, University degree and NYSC certificate.”
Advising the party not to tow wrong path, the committee chairman said: “As responsible party loyalists, we are committed to ensuring that our party does the right thing by putting the right foot forward to win the Imo North senatorial by-elections which shall be keenly contested, we have brought this petition early in the day to your notice as a stitch in time.”
However the earlier report by the panel reads: “Eleven aspirants were presented by the party for screening which took place on the 26th and 27 of August, 2020.
“Each aspirant appeared before the panel in the order as was listed and we’re given fair hearing to defend their submissions to the party as well as express in their opinion, the basis that the screening panel should clear them to continue with their aspirations.
“The result of the Screening exercise is detailed as follows: Total aspirants at the screening 11; total aspirants cleared 11 and total aspirants not cleared 0.”
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