LAGOS OCTOBER 5TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The lawmaker representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mrs. Amaechi Mrakpor has said that she lost her re-election bid after her rival, Mr. Ndudi Elumelu allegedly gave $1,500 each to over 500 delegates.
Rejecting the outcome of the primary election which saw her polling 226 votes, while Elumelu scored 266, Mrakpor accused the winner of influencing voters with money.
Alleging that Elumelu violated Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s earlier plea that no aspirant should give more than N100,000 to each delegate for feeding, transport, and accommodation, she accused Elumelu of inducing the delegates with jollof rice and chicken and campaigning when voting was in progress.
She said: “On the night of October 1, some delegates from my local government informed me that Elumelu was giving delegates $1,500.
“I didn’t believe it because before then, the governor had announced that no aspirant should give any delegate more than N100,000 for their accommodation, transport, and feeding since they will be coming from rural areas.
“That was the briefing we got and I got ready with N100,000 each. But on the night of October 1, I got a phone call that Elumelu was giving out $1,500 or N550,000 and I confirmed it. “Elumelu came back and started campaigning to the delegates while voting was going on. After doing that, he brought out Ghana-must-go bags and started sharing jollof rice and chicken and nobody cautioned him.
“I was trying to be obedient. He shared about $800,000 and just yesterday morning, he went out again to share more money for breakfast. Nobody stopped him.”
Meanwhile, Elumelu denied the allegation, saying: “There is absolutely no truth in her claim.
“I never induced delegates with $1,500 each. Let me clearly state that I was seated from the beginning to the end, I could not have been campaigning or carrying rice to serve people.