The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) House of Representatives aspirant for Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, Obunike Ohaegbu, popularly known as Nwa Miss, has dismissed allegations that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was involved in collecting bribes during the party’s primary elections.
The clarification comes after Obi filed a lawsuit against African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo over allegations that he and some NDC leaders in the South-East collected money from aspirants during the primaries.
Okonkwo had claimed that Ohaegbu sent him a message exposing alleged irregularities in the conduct of the primaries.
Speaking on Channels Television, Ohaegbu confirmed that he communicated with Okonkwo but denied ever telling him that Obi demanded money or was involved in any bribery scheme.
“First of all, was there any communication between me and Mr Kenneth Okonkwo? The answer is in the affirmative.
“I have over 2000 people that I send everything I write, including Kenneth Okonkwo, and also including His Excellency, Peter Obi.
“The message that triggered this was I sent a broadcast to NDC members, which Peter Obi also received. I said that they should disregard any rumor that suggests that any NDC members has been given automatic ticket, because that is not what the party told us.
“And the member representing Peter Obi’s federal consistency was asked not to run, because it will not be fair if he runs. It will not be fair to other local governments, and that happened in so many other local governments, so it would be wrong to say that the person representing us, who has never been to my community and not even been to my home since the election, will have automatic ticket.
“And when especially it makes it worse when it’s being rumored that the senatorial candidate will come from his local government.
“So it was after the broadcast I sent, that he [Okonkwo] called me. Before I came here, I went for morning mass because I’m a Catholic. As I speak to you, the Holy Communion is still running in my vein. If I had ever said either through text or if Kenneth can show anywhere in that message, I said I met with Peter Obi throughout this process. I will apologise.”
Ohaegbu said his discussions regarding nomination forms were with the party’s national secretary, whom he claimed also promised him an automatic ticket.
“As a matter of fact, the national secretary told me that all my discussions with him, that he did that in his capacity as the national secretary and he told me if I have problems, I should go back to the party, which I have actually done this morning. My lawyers will be filing papers against the party.
“But what I’m addressing now is what Okonkwo said that Peter Obi told us to go and pay ₦10 million, that he needed the money for his campaign. The ₦10 million I paid was paid to the account of the NDC, in Fidelity Bank. I never said I paid bribe.
“So he said I told him that the party’s National Caucus told us to pay ₦10 million. I never said that, and it’s not in the message. And I will want this conversation to limit to what he said, what I said.
“I’m telling you, Peter Obi never told me to pay ₦10 million, I never told Kenneth Okonkwo that Peter Obi in any way told me to pay ₦10 million. The only person who asked me to pay ₦10 million is the national secretary,” the aspirant added.
Ohaegbu also denied claims that he told Okonkwo that Peter Obi and other party leaders were writing the results of the primary election at John Wood Hotel in Abuja while the exercise was ongoing.
