A lawyer and Senatorial aspirant of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Enugu West District, Ogochukwu Onyema, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging extortion of N20 million through misrepresentation, undue influence and coercive pressure by members of the party’s Senatorial Screening Committee.

In the petition dated June 3, which he directed to the Chairman of the commission, Onyema urged EFCC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collection of the said money and take appropriate steps to recover it and hold accountable any person found to have engaged in “conduct amounting to obtaining money by false pretence, fraudulent inducement, extortion, abuse of office and conspiracy.”

In a petition signed by his lawyer, Ayomide Ahmed, which he made available to The Guardian, Onyema told the EFCC Chairman that, following the release of party guidelines for Congresses and nomination processes, he had obtained the
NDC’s Expression of Interest Form at a cost of N3 million, which he completed.

According to him, prior to the screening, one of the leaders of the party in the state had forwarded the party’s account No. 1046691859, domiciled with FCMB and requested him to support the party through a voluntary development levy.

He said that “without any compulsion,” he had put the sum of N500,000 into the said account, adding, however, that during the screening exercise, the committee members had asked whether he had paid the party’s development levy.

“Upon informing the committee that I paid N500,000, I was informed by the panel that senatorial aspirants were expected to show capacity by contributing N20 million; House of Representatives aspirants N10 million, and governorship aspirants N50 million, as a pathway to candidacy.

“Although the payment was described as voluntary, the comments and conduct of the Screening Committee conveyed that payment of N20 million was necessary to demonstrate seriousness, capacity and eligibility for consideration as a senatorial candidate, especially as one of the committee members who gave out forms to fill afterwards told me that it is the pathway to a senatorial ticket,” he stated.

Although he claimed he protested the development, and “believing the representation made by the committee and relying on the authority of the chairman and members, I proceeded to pay the additional sum of N20 million into the same party account and subsequently submitted evidence of the payment to the Screening Committee”.

Onyema disclosed that several aspirants who neither paid nor paid comparable sums nor complied with similar financial demands were nevertheless being considered for nomination and sponsorship by the party. He added that the leadership thereafter resorted to holding meetings with their favoured candidates, a development that led him to believe there was a deliberate double standard to extort him.

MEANWHILE, actor-turned-politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, has renewed allegations of corruption within the NDC, claiming that aspirants were pressured to make payments to secure party tickets.

Okonkwo accused the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and some South-East leaders of orchestrating the alleged scheme, which he said involved financial demands during the party’s primary elections.

The claims came amid a legal threat from Obi’s team, which reportedly issued a pre-litigation notice over earlier remarks made by Okonkwo on Sunrise Daily, a programme on Channels Television, alleging that House of Representatives aspirants were asked to pay up to N10 million.

In a series of social media posts, Okonkwo said he had documentary evidence to support his claims, including conversations with an aspirant, Obunike Ohaegbu, who contested for the Nnewi North/South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency seat.

He alleged that the aspirant privately accused Obi of coordinating the process, despite public statements that appeared to downplay the allegations.