———— Says Electoral guidelines and Code of Conduct have been breached
A Human rights activist, Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo, made this known while speaking on the topic “ Protests, Demonstrations, Democracy, and National Security: A Periscopic Analysis,” on the programme, Beyond the Headlines on Freedom Square TV, anchored by Uchenna Cyril Anioke.
Okonkwo cited an alleged breach of the electoral guidelines and the Code of Conduct which indicates that citizens have been donating money directly to the Governor in his personal capacity rather than through his political party, an act he described as contrary to the provisions regulating campaign financing and political accountability.
He maintained that such actions amount to a violation of electoral ethics and could undermine the integrity of the electoral process.
According to him, “ I am the only person that have petitioned the code of conduct against Prof. Soludo and three of his Aides for violating their code of conduct. We have Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I don’t know the people that operate INEC. Being a professor makes you a thinker , you don’t read the law. The Governor is blatantly violating the laws on contribution and donating money . Is it Soludo or the party that sponsors election?. This people, I call them illiterates. The parties that are running election should take Soludo to court. I don’t know what they are waiting for. The person on the ballot is APGA, as a party and not Soludo . All this extortion that are going on are lack of people who don’t know what the law is. It is devastating, it is a tragedy. INEC should remove his name from the ballot.”
He emphasized that the law is clear on how campaign funds should be sourced and managed, noting that when donations are made to an individual instead of the political party, it becomes a breach of the electoral code and questions the transparency of the process.
Okonkwo therefore, urged INEC to remove Prof. Soludo’s name from the ballot, noting that adherence to the rule of law must be paramount in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.