Ibezim was not cleared for Imo North Senatorial primary – Screening Committee

While the controversies surrounding last Saturday’s All Progressive Congress senatorial primary for the vacant Imo North seat continues to swirl, the APC Screening Committee for the primary yesterday stunned party faithful with a fresh revelation.

The Screening Committee categorically declared that one Mr. Frank Ibezim, who was purportedly declared winner by a faction of the party in the state was not cleared for the primary election.

This was disclosed yesterday at a press conference by Dr. Lawrence Chukwu, Chairman, Imo North Senatorial Screening Committee

The text of the press conference read in part: “Gentlemen of the press, we are the members of the Imo North Senatorial screening committee of the APC, appointed vide letters of appointment dated 25th August 2020 and duly inaugurated at the party headquarters on the 26th of August by the acting National Secretary, H.E Senator John James Akpan- Udoedehe.

“Unfortunately, with utmost dismay, we noticed that our report which cleared five aspirants and disqualified six for very cogent and verifiable reasons were jettisoned.

“Both the aspirants cleared and not cleared were allowed to run for the Senatorial primaries, embarrassingly, one of the aspirants not cleared is being touted as having emerged as one of the winners of the said controversial primary election.”

The committee noted that eleven Senatorial Aspirants were screened and they include Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume, Hon. Matthew Omegara, Achonu Athanasius Nneji, Uchendu Mark Chijioke, Ibezim Chukwuma Frank, Edith Chidinma Uwajumuogu, Uchenna Onyeiwu-Uba, Eze Joachim Okoro, Bright Nwachukwu, Onuoha Chikwem Chijioke and Iheanacho Celestine Ihim.

The committee stated that out of this number only five aspirants were cleared and they include Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume, Uchendu Mark Chijioke, Edith Chidinma Uwajumuogu, Eze Joachim Okoro and Bright Nwachukwu while the remaining six aspirants including Mr. Frank Ibezim were disqualified.

The text of the press briefing read further: “Section 3(f) of the guidelines for the nomination of candidates stipulates that only aspirants fully cleared by the party shall be eligible to stand election at the party’s primaries.

Section 3(k) also clearly stated that all aspirants must show knowledge of the party’s manifestos and programs and must commit themselves to the full implementation of the party’s goals and objectives.

“Not losing sight of section 3(L) which states that all aspirants are to submit evidence of membership of the party for at least one year except a waiver is given.

“Therefore, in compliance with section 11 of same guideline stipulating the roles and responsibilities of the screening committee, we have done our job sincerely, honestly and diligently without fear or favour but we have observed that Mr. Frank Ibezim who is purported to be one of the possible flag bearers of our party, was not cleared to contest the Imo North Senatorial primary elections on the following grounds.

1. He did not submit any originals of his educational qualification certificates or properly certified true copies for citing.
2. He presented a statutory declaration of age deposed to by one Emmanuel Ibezim, who happens to be his elder brother. The statutory age declaration was not signed by the declarant, which rendered the document invalid.
3. He submitted another affidavit stating the loss of his academic qualification certificates which was not signed by the deponent, this also rendered the document invalid.
4. The said unsigned affidavit did not have a police extract in support, to show that he reported to the law enforcement authority.
5. Mr. Frank Ibezim submitted the photocopies of his academic certificates which he said were missing namely, WAEC certificate, University degree and NYSC certificate, purportedly certified as true copies of the originals and we made the following observations.

a. One person signed a signature on all the photocopies of his certificates and dated them for a fee of N500.00, as though they were being certified as true copies.

b. Nothing written on the academic certificates read ‘certified true copies.

c. Nothing written on them showed who purportedly certified the certificates as true copies.

d. Nothing written on them showed where they were certified in other to prove that the certifier had custody of the originals as required by law.

e. For such certificates as WAEC CERTIFICATE, the custodian of the original should be the West African Examinations Council and they should be the ones to certify a photocopy as a true copy of the original

f. For such certificates as UNIVERSITY DEGREE obtained from Imo state University, the custodian of the original should be the issuing university and they alone can certify a copy as true copy of the original.

g. For such certificates as the NYSC CERTIFICATE, only the National Youth Service Commission can certify a photocopy of the certificate as the true copy of the original as the issuing authority.

h. It is important to note that these institutions mentioned are the only ones to do the certifications as the certificates have been reported as missing.

i. It is also noteworthy that Mr. Ibezim’s invalid affidavit of loss of certificates was dated in 2010 and he has had them for 10 years without signature and he never made any attempt to contact the issuing authorities to properly certify them assuming, though not conceding that they even existed, and thereby presenting fake documents to the screening committee.