Count me out from suit seeking to nullify APC primaries in Enugu – VON DG

Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu, has dissociated himself from a suit before the Federal High Court seeking to nullify primaries of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State.

Okechukwu made this clarification in an interview with journalists in Enugu on Monday while reacting to speculations linking him to the suit.

According to the Director-General, I am not in any way connected to the suit. Kindly count me out of the suit, I read it online like you did.

“Barrister Onwusi is my brother, just like Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.

“He (Onyeama) is a senior lawyer and chose briefs he wants and has no obligation to me to vet his client.

“Onwusi is also my kinsman in Eke Udi LGA of Enugu state. I cannot deny him. He is my political associate and part of my campaign directorate.

“He (Onwusi) is also a lawyer practicing in Enugu. So, as a lawyer, he is at liberty to take briefs from people.

“I cannot stop him from taking any brief. I am not the one feeding his family,” Okechukwu said.

It would be recalled that the said suit was instituted by a member of APC in Udi Local Government Area, Chief Ifeanyi Onwuamaeze.

Onwuamaeze claimed that the open ballot voting adopted by APC for the conduct of the primaries in the state infringed on his right to privacy as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.

The APC chieftain instituted the suit through his lawyer, Mr Godwin Onwusi, who is a political associate and kinsman of the VON DG.

Onwuamaeze, the plaintiff/applicant, sought among other reliefs, a declaration that he and other members of the party were entitled to the privacy of the knowledge of who they vote in an election.

They include the Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 APC primary elections, as guaranteed by section 37 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

The plaintiff sought for a declaration that the open ballot system of voting involving queuing behind the candidate of your choice constitutes a violation of his constitutional rights and other party members.

The plaintiff had also attached documentary evidence including a video clip to show that open ballot voting system was used for the APC primaries.