********Stakeholders Petition DSIEC, Police Over Ex-Convict Candidature In Councillorship Election
The Councillorship candidate under the Labour Party (LP), Mrs Rosemary Amechi Obahor has petitioned the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), over the candidature of one Mr Uche Martins Okocha who is also contesting for Councillor for Aniocha South ward 5B at Ubulu-Uku.
According to Mrs Obahor, in the petition titled “Disqualifying An Ex-Convict Candidate-Uche Martins Okocha (aka Giant )”, the aspirant is not qualified to contest the election.
Mrs Obahor is therefore, asking DSIEC to disqualify and stop Mr Okocha from further contesting the post of the Councillor for Aniocha South ward 5B on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) based on the notoriety as an unrepentant Ex-Convict.
In the petition addressed to the Chairman, DSIEC, Asaba, dated 30th June, 2024 and copied to the Delta State Chairman of Labour Party and the Aniocha South Chairman of Labour Party, Mrs Obahor stated that she is compelled to petition the electoral body against Mr Okocha, not for her sake as her opponent in the forthcoming local government elections but also in the interest of the entire Ubulu-Uku community.
In her petition, Mrs Obahor recalled that she is aware of an avoidable event which Mr Okocha had with an easy-going event service-provider, Mr Joseph Okeibunor Awunor in 2006.
In the encounter, she said that “in his display of exuberance and lawlessness, Uche Okocha unprovokingly smashed the windscreen of Mr Awunor’s mini bus with registration number XY 773 EKY and as well landed a crushing blow in Joseph’s Awunor’s jaw thereby knocking off the victim’s two upper-jaw incisor teeth – a joint case of malicious damage and grievous harm, for which he was eventually jailed with an option of fine on the 1st August, 2007”.
Some of the reasons according to her for praying in favour of stopping Uche Okocha in the forthcoming elections include the fact that, “having not suffered the full legally stipulated punishment for his violent offences, the Ex-Convict has remained disposed to more crimes, partly based on his impunity-driven slogan” “Nothing dey Happen”.
According to her “any investigative visit to the Police Station at Ogwashi Uku likewise the Palace at Ubulu-Uku would reveal that the naturally lawless Councillorship candidate currently has and that he has also had a number of uncharged cases, all against him”.
“While speaking recently during the Delta State Stakeholders Meeting in his country home, His Excellency “
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of the same party with the giant was quoted as saying among other statements. Only popular candidates that the people love and who are generally acceptable by stakeholders will emerge as the candidates of the party. Logically, and unarguably Uche Okocha does not fit into the category which our governor wants in the overall interest of the state. This unretracted executive pronouncement should therefore, be accorded the obedience it deserves”.
“On the strength of the these verifiable facts of the matter and the interest of the general public, I therfore, pray your Commission to disqualify the incredible PDP contestants, thereby allowing only abiding contenders, myself inclusive to vie for the electoral position that would enable us serve our communities – the Aniocha South ward 58 in particular”, Mrs Obahor submitted in her petition.
In a seperate petition addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Police Command Headquarters, Asaba, dated 2nd July, 2024 and copied to the Director, Public Prosecution, Asaba, Director, State Security Services (Delta State Command) and Labour Party in Aniocha South,Mrs Obahor also informed that for an offence he committed in 2006, Uche Martins Okocha was arrested prosecuted and was eventually convicted by Chief Magistrate S. A Anine at the end of July, 2007.
She stated “However, having considered the guilt of the giant then as a first time offender, the Court awarded an option of paying N10, 000 fine against the reduced jail-term of 18 months. Unfortunately, for justice, the family of the convicted criminal eventually paid the fine and let the convict off the hook. In essence, the herewith accused person was convicted under the charge sheet NG: MO/10C/2006. The Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgement is enclosed herewith as a proof of any allegatio”.
Corroborating Mrs Obahor position in her petition, the victim of Mr Okocha’s violent behavior, Mr Joseph Okeibunor had also petitioned DSIEC, in a letter which was copied to the Divisional Police Officer, Ogwashi Uku, also seeking that Mr Uche Martins Okocha be disqualified and stopped from going ahead with his current political campaign based on the following reasons:
“Because he has no respect for the law of the land, likewise he lacks penchant for peace and order”.
“Secondly, he has remained remorseless and unrepentant because he did not undergo the deserved punishment and correction in prison, as his family eventually paid an option of fine of N10, 000 and thereby, effected his release from the wrath of the law”.
“Thirdly, if he is allowed to become a Councillor, he would abuse the incidental privileges and also influence the youth in his ward in favour of staging orgies of violence”.
Stating that these reasons constitute only one out of numerous cases of lawlessness which Mr Okocha has so far perpetrated within the local government area, Awunor added “you would therefore, agree with me that if Peace law and order are paramount and desirable in Ubulu-Uku and in its environs, particularly in ward 17, then the pro-violrnce youth should not be entrusted with leadership”.