By Ndubuisi Biosah
Witchcraft may not be known to law, but the average African can’t deny the fact that witches and wizards do exist. Those who studied Religion in the university will attest to the fact that witchcraft is part of the study of African Traditional Religion ATR. What is however shrouded in mystery about the whole concept of witchcraft is their Modus Operandi. Do they really fly at night?, are there good ones and bad ones?, is poverty a function of witchcraft?, does looking ugly at old age translate to being a witch?, in definition, can someone who does not wish people well, pass for a witch?, can the rich and affluent exhibit witchcraft?. These are some of the questions begging for answers whenever this topic comes to mind.
On the 25th day of February 2023, Nigerians trooped in their numbers to their polling units in what looked like a replica of the aborted June 12 1993 General Elections. This Tsunami was motivated by the fact that ex-president, General Mohammadu Buhari, took Nigeria from Out Patients’ Ward to Intensive Care Unit. At that point, Nigeria needed a messiah of some sort if we must escape being transferred to the morgue, and a certain Mr. Peter Obi was the obvious choice of majority of Nigerians. His candidacy gave birth to what became known as the OBIdient Movement, and the rest is history today, pending when our judiciary will let us know if we still have one in the true sense of the word.
That presidential election held same day with National Assembly elections and the Labour Party, under which Peter Obi ran, had most of it’s candidates for National Assembly positions sweep their constituencies in what looked like a Peter Obi goodwill, but later exposed the fact that people were not just tired with Buhari’s leadership, but indeed people were fed up with the entire system. One of such people whom the will of the people which translates to the will of God blessed is Rt. Hon. Ogbueshi Lawrence Ngozi Okolie, Member presently representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives.
Rt. Hon. Ogbueshi Lawrence Ngozi Okolie needs no introduction for those are have been in politics for at least the last two decades.If every other thing is false, the sacrosanct truth is that PDP’s Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu lost the HOR seat to LP’s Rt.Hon.Ogbueshi Ngozi Okolie with uncountable votes, in the full glare of voters, onlookers, observers, Party agents and leaders , underaged children and even to the sitting president, who himself lost Lagos to LP in his own presidential election!. So what is Ndudi Elumelu fighting for if witchcraft is not involved?. Can his actions and inactions vis-a-vis trying to compromise the Judiciary and INEC to truncate the wish of the people not pass for witchcraft?. Just maybe!.
Rt.Hon. Ndudi Elumelu has been to the National Assembly for 12 good years and has contributed his own quota to Aniocha/Oshimili. Why not allow another person contribute?. Running to the Election Tribunal to unseat one whom the people chose just to return to Abuja to play Jagaban politics is not in the best interest of Ndi Aniocha/Oshimili. No matter the cases you sight and the evidences you present before the Jury, it won’t change the fact that you lost in totality…as in woefully, courtesy of the people’s resolve for something new and different. What are even Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu’s petitions at the tribunal?, let’s do an x-ray.
First, that in May 2022, Rt. Hon. Ngozi Okolie served as Barrister Fred Majemite’s agent in the PDP governorship primaries ,hence he was still a PDP member then. It baffles me when I see persons who ought to know, especially lawyers, argue out of point just to cash out from their clients instead of educating those they refer to as ‘lay men’. Which law in Nigeria states that agents to candidates in a Political Party’s primaries must be card-carrying members?. In Political Parties primaries, all aspirants are Party members and the shenanigans within every Party prior and during primary elections calls for aspirants to present trusted persons of their choices as agents. I have never seen a Political Party primary where an aspirant’s agent is asked to present his Party card for accreditation. In 2019, one of my bosses, Hon. Izuka Okolo was an aspirant for the Oshimili South House of Assembly seat. As a Public Servant , who does not have any Political Party’s membership card,I was one of his two agents based on trust. Infact, with the benefit of hindsight, I witnessed the many atrocities of his Party members who are the so-called card-carrying members on the said day and reported same to him. These are coming from people whom he trusted ,but to them in politics, it’s normal!. So this point is dead on arrival, unless ofcourse the arms of the law will be twisted but we are carefully watching.
Second, that Rt. Hon. Ngozi Okolie’s resignation as an appointee in the Okowa-led administration in September was belated. Well, like I said earlier, all these are just day light witchcraft coming from a brother.Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu prides himself as an Asaba inlaw each time he comes for campaigns, because his wife is from Asaba. So I ask, is this how to come after someone who gave you a wife?. You went for something, one you have enjoyed for 12 years but you did not get it. Your inlaw got it, is this the best way to celebrate him?. I guess not. Talking about the crux of the matter, as a ‘lay man’ in law, I know that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stipulates that anyone in employment who wants to be elected into a public office must resign his employment at least, 30 days (one month) to the elections. Pls, what crime has someone who resigned in September 2022 for an election that held in February 2023 commit?.Even the Supreme Court of Nigeria has ruled countless times that political appointees are not Public Servants, hence Ex-governor Theodore Orji of Abia State won the governorship election of his state from prison as a sitting Chief of Staff to the governor. On this ill-fated matter, I leave us to be the judge!.
Meanwhile, the Defense Council of the Rt. Hon. Ngozi Okolie Campaign Organization can tell you that Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu was not validly nominated as the candidate of the PDP for that election. There are legal proofs to that effect and ordinarily, Rt. Hon. Ngozi Okolie never wanted to join Ndudi Elumelu in washing the Aniocha/ Oshimili dirty linen outside, but because he has come this far, the tribunal has called for his defense on it, let him respond and stop chasing shadows. Throughout the trial, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu did not show any proof that he is a member of the PDP or that he was validly nominated as the candidate of the Party.
Lastly, we have been watching INEC’s role during these proceedings. The only animal that is proverbially known to go back and forth in critical times is the Ram. Humans are superior animals and don’t talk with both sides of the mouth. We have seen lately that the INEC that declared an unprecedented result and issued a valid Certificate Of Return is trying to play games. We know that everyone has a price but some prices just turns out to be bones.INEC, be warned, the wish of the people is priceless. I hope the judiciary is listening…they should!.
Rt. Hon. Ndudi Godwin Elumelu, join hands with Rt. Hon. Ogbueshi Lawrence Ngozi Okolie in building the Aniocha/ Oshimili of our dreams with your contacts , one that strangers won’t be able to identify boundaries like they presently do. Do no use the contacts for internal war. Tow the lines of Ide Tony Nwaka , PhD, a model to budding writers like me and Ada Ahaba, Isioma Ndah, a voice for the voiceless, to sheath your sword and see oganihu Aniocha/Oshimili as a bigger project , much bigger than personal ambition ,maka odinma Anioma.
May God bless us!.
