Legal Suit: Abia State AA House of Reps Candidate Alleges Impersonation

Gloria Essien, Abuja.

Last updated Oct 15, 2023

The candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), who contested the 2023 National Assembly Election for Bende federal constituency of Abia State, Hon. Ifeanyi Igbokwe, has alleged impersonation, insisting that he did not file any legal suit at the tribunal to contest the outcome of the election, which produced the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu.

Hon. Ifeanyi Igbokwe, therefore, on Sunday at a Press Conference called on the Inspector General of Police and Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to fish out those allegedly impersonating him in court over the outcome of the election.

According to Igbokwe, he had long accepted the victory of Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu as the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.

“I did not file any legal suit at the tribunal to contest the outcome of the election. I have long accepted the victory of Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who is now deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.

“But to my greatest chagrin, I have continued to read the reports of a legal suit surreptitiously filed by my humble self against Kalu.

“I came here to say that for the umpteenth time, I did not file any legal action against Kalu, and I have cried out to the security authorities that I was impersonated.

“It may interest you to know that when we first got wind of this matter, I went to the tribunal in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, with my lawyers to know who filed the case.

“To everybody’s surprise, no one else other than me boldly showed up to say he/she is Hon. Ifeanyi Chukwuka Igbokwe.

“I further learnt that those impersonating me also had their lawyers present in court. But before the tribunal could call up the case, the lawyers had disappeared. We filed our briefs, and the tribunal later dismissed the matter,” Igbokwe explained.

He stated that he had followed up the matter with a petition to the Inspector General of Police and the Director of the Department of State Service (DSS), requesting the arrest and the prosecution of the impersonators because it was a criminal matter.

He further said he had forwarded every document to the Inspector General’s office, the State Chairman of the party, Tony Orji, and the National Chairman of Action Alliance, Adekunle Aja-Oje.

A Case of Impersonation

According to Mr. Igbokwe, he expects the Police not to treat the issue lightly since it is a case of impersonation, but surprisingly nothing has happened so far.

“But I was surprised when my attention was drawn to a publication by Sahara Reporters, accusing the Deputy Speaker Kalu of instigating the Police to invite the AA national party chairman for questioning.

“This is totally wrong. It was misdirected. I want to clearly state here that I was the one that filed the petition at the Inspector General’s office against my party leadership.

“It’s a case criminal case of impersonation, and I must follow the case to the letter regardless of who is involved. It is my integrity that is at stake here, and not that of anyone else. They will have to face the law because they don’t mean well for my political career.

“While they are yet to honour the Police invitation, I have learnt that the same people have filed an appeal in my name again against Kalu.

“I hereby emphatically state that I know nothing about the appeal at the Court of Appeal. This is the handiwork of the same political merchants who are bent on using my name to procure judgement against the deputy speaker.

“It must be emphasized that I am the only candidate of Action Alliance in that election. And if anyone should approach the courts, it should be me.

“Once again, I challenge anyone who says he is Ifeanyi Chukwuka Igbokwe, other than me, to reveal his true identity and counter my position in this issue.

“I have no reason to fight my brother, the deputy speaker, whom God has through the benevolence of leaders of the country, his party, APC, and his colleagues in the National Assembly, exalted to a position of privilege for Ndi Bende, Ndi Abia State and Ndi Igbo in general. I can’t be stupid to pursue a case I know is needless.

“I, therefore, call on the Police, the DSS and other security agencies to immediately fish out these impersonators and bring them to justice,” Igbokwe appealed.

He added that he had absolutely nothing against the deputy speaker and would gain nothing from removing him from office.