Group alleges plan to backdate forms’ submission date in Delta

A group, Delta Central Truth Movement, yesterday raised the alarm that some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were working with some All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in Delta State to backdate forms’ submission date for Delta APC National Assembly candidates to circumvent a court decision.

A Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, the state capital, on October 17, 2018 had restrained the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC from submission of list of the party’s candidates for the just-concluded 2019 elections to INEC.

But the NWC of the party, in alleged disobedience of the court order, submitted the names of candidates for the election, which include Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Rev. Francis Ejiroghene Waive and others.

Chairman of the group, Martins Oderowho, in a statement, said some INEC officials in Abuja and Asaba were already working in one accord to give the election tribunal sitting in Delta State false information about the date of submission of APC National Assembly, governorship and state House of Assembly candidates’ names to INEC in order to give credence to their candidacy.

“Whereas Form 48 was duly served on INEC and the APC for going against the court order,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Edo State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the state government of harassing, intimidating and victimising a chieftain of the PDP, Chief Osamede Adun, and other members of APC who defected to the PDP.

State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Chris Nehikhare in a statement in Benin City, raised the alarm over the ill-treatment meted out on Adun, a foremost transporter, especially plans to allegedly destroy his property.

He said: “His businesses have been singled out for all sort of government citation and brute implementation of unlawful orders.

Meanwhile, attempt to get Governor Obaseki’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, for his reaction failed as telephone calls to him went unanswered.