The Nigeria Police have detained factional Labour Party governorship candidate, Edward Nkwegu Okereke for alleged forgery and perjury.
This came four days after Information Nigeria published documents on October 16, exposing how INEC documents and a Labour Party membership cards of its governorship candidate, Eze Oko, aka Splendor, were forged.
LP Lagos governorship candidate, Ifagbemi Awamaridi first made the disclosure of the alleged detainment, in a forwarded WhatsApp message to Information Nigeria on October 20.
The message read, “Edward Okereke (Owner of Bacelona Hotel, ABUJA), detained by Police IG, for conniving with Julius Abure, Labour Party National Chairman, to forge INEC form 11b consisting Ebonyi Governorship Candidate’s Signature…. Abure on Wanted list…. Details later.”
Awamaridi had weeks ago, revealed the discovery of the fraud in Ebonyi where the party was trying to replace Oko-Eze, said to be the duly elected governorship candidate, with one Edward Okereke Nkwegu, who had participated and lost the All Progressives Congress governorship primary.
According to Awamaridi, the party forged Oko-Eze’s signature on the Form 11b of the withdrawal form, and back-dated the form for the replacement candidate, despite Oko-Eze not accepting to withdraw his candidacy.
He had also revealed that the date on the said withdrawal form was August 3 while the date which the replacement candidate was said to have signed on his INEC form on oath was August 2, indicating that the replacement primary was done before the initial candidate allegedly withdrew, which he said shouldn’t have been.
Confirming Okereke’s detention to Information Nigeria on Friday, Oko-Eze the complainant, who is the other factional gubernatorial candidate, that wrote a petition to the police to investigate the forgery of his signature, said the police had informed him that Okereke was now with them in the station.
Oko-Eze said, “Yes, he was with the police. The police invited him. I was told by my IPO that the young man was with them. I don’t want to bother my head on whether he was brought there or whether he jumped or flew to the place (police station). What concerns me most is that he has given his statement to the police.”
“I am the complainant, I’m going to be at the headquarters next week to know the extent of their investigation because it’s not just Nkwegu Okereke that’s involved, the national chairman, national organising secretary, the secretary are involved in the petition,” he added.
Attempt to speak with Mr Okereke to also confirm his arrest wasn’t successful as his calls were unanswered. Attempts to speak with the state commissioner of police, Aliyu Garba, and state police spokesman, Chris Anyanwu proved abortive as they didn’t respond to calls. Information Nigeria further reached the IPO attached to the case. But on hearing our correspondent mention the name, Edward Okereke, the IPO, simply known as Ifeoma, hung up the call.
However, speaking with Information Nigeria, Julius Abure, National Chairman of the Labour Party denied knowledge that the police had put his name on wanted list for the role that he allegedly played in the forgery case.
Abure said, “Is it not when you invite somebody for questioning and he didn’t come, that you declare him wanted? I’m here, I’m free, nobody invited me for a meeting, it’s fake news.”
Abure also denied Okereke had been detained by the police saying, “I’m not aware of that, but I can call him and ask.” However, his attempts to call Okereke on phone to prove to our correspondent that the factional candidate wasn’t in police custody failed, as his calls to Okereke rang unanswered at each attempt.
