From Fred Itua, Abuja
Candidate of Action Alliance (AA) in the 2023 National Assembly election for Bende Federal Constituency, Ifeanyi Igbokwe, has called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Dapartment of State Services (DSS), to fish out those allegedly impersonating him in court over the outcome of the election.
Igbokwe at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, said he did not file any legal suit at the Tribunal to contest the outcome of the election, saying he had long accepted the victory of Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who is now the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
He said: “I did not file any legal suit at the Tribunal to contest the outcome of the election. I have long accepted the victory of Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu who is now Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“But to my greatest chagrin, I have continued to read the reports of a legal suit surreptitiously filed by my humble self against Kalu. I came here to say that for the upteenth time, I did not file again legal action against Kalu and I have cried out to the security authorities that I was impersonated.
“It may interest you to know that when we first got the wind of this matter, I went to the Tribunal in Umuahia, Abia State capital with my lawyers to know who filed the case.
“To everybody’s surprise, no one else other than me boldly showed up to say he/she is Hon. Ifeanyi Chukwuka Igbokwe. I further learnt that those impersonating me also had their lawyers present in court. But before the Tribunal could call up the case, the lawyers had disappeared. We filed our briefs and the Tribunal later dismissed the matter.”
Ogbokwe stated that he has followed up the matter with a petition to the IGP, and the Director of the Department of State Service (DSS) requesting the arrest and the prosecution of the impersonators because it was a criminal matter.
He also said he has forwarded every document to the IGs office. The State Chairman of the party, Tony Orji and the National Chairman of AA, Adekunle Aja-Oje.
That he expected the Police not to treat the issue lightly since it is a case of impersonation but nothing has happened so far.
“But I was surprised when my attention was drawn to a publication by Sahara Reporters accusing the Deputy Speaker, Kalu of instigating the police of inviting the AA national party chairman for questioning.
“This is totally wrong. It was misdirected. I want to clearly state here that I was the one that filed the petition at the IGs office against my party leadership. It’s a case criminal case of impersonation and I must follow the case to the latter regardless of who is involved. It is my integrity that is at stake here and not that of anyone else. They will have to face the law because they don’t mean well for my political career.
“While they are yet to honour the police invitation, I have learnt that the same people have filed an appeal in my name again against Kalu.
“I hereby emphatically state that I know nothing about the appeal at the court of appeal. This is the handiwork of the same political merchants who are bent on using my name to procure judgement against the Deputy Speaker.
“It must be emphasized that I am the only candidate of AA in that election. And if anyone should approach the courts, it should be me. Once again, I challenge anyone who says he is Ifeanyi Chukwuka Igbokwe other than me to reveal his true identity and counter my position in this issue.
“I have no reason to fight my brother, the Deputy Speaker whom God has through the benevolence of leaders of the country, his party, APC and his colleagues in the National Assembly exalted to a position of privilege for Ndi Bende, Ndi Abia State and Ndi Igbo in general. I can’t be stupid to pursue a case I know is needless.
“I therefore call on the police, the DSS and other security agencies to immediately fish out these impersonators and bring them to justice,” Igbokwe said.
