Ughelli/Udu House of Reps Candidate, Waive Petitions IGP Over Threat to Life

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Ughelli North, South and Udu Federal Constituency into the House of Representatives, Rev. Francis Ejiroghene Waive, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police to investigate and prosecute a chieftain of the party, Julius Efeni Akpovoka, over alleged forgery and theft of his documents.

Waive, in a strong-worded petition addressed to the IGP by his lawyers, alleged that Akpovoka was responsible for the theft of his Expression of Interest Forms and document from the APC National Headquarters prior to his screening for the party’s primary.

Also petitioned alongside Akpovoka who contested the APC House of Representatives ticket for Ughelli North, South and Udu Federal Constituency but lost to Waive, is one Mr Awharenovwe Andrew, who is being alleged for impersonation.

A copy of the petition obtained by Advocate was signed by R. E. Waive for O.K. EDU & CO which noted that the suspects had also made several attempts on the life of the petitioner and called on the police boss to step in before the suspects made good their threats to eliminate him.

The APC Reps candidate contended that; “The stealing of our client’s Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms with its accompanying documents is a criminal offence punishable with life imprisonment under section 390 (1) of the Criminal Code Act CAP,  C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

“Our client did not write any letter of withdrawal and did not depose to any affidavit before the High Court, FCT or any other court in Nigeria.That the letter and the affidavit are the handiwork of Julius Efeni Akpovoka who has been scheming to get our client out of the race by hook or crook right from the screening of Aspirants by the APC up until now.

“That our Client has been defending two Federal High Court cases; Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/93/2018 between Julius Efeni Akpovoka vs INEC & 2 ors and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1066/2018 between Awharenovwe Andrew vs APC & anor, vigorously in respect of his candidacy. In Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1066/2018 between Awharenovwe Andrew vs APC & anor, our client applied to join as a party in order to defend his candidacy and this matter which came up last on 11/12/2018 has been adjourned to 16/1/2019.

“In Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/93/2018 between Julius Efeni Akpovoka vs INEC & 2 ors, our client filed counter affidavit exhibiting the certified true copy of the Result of the APC Primary Election for the Federal House of Representative amongst other documents and the matter has been adjourned to 4/2/2019.”

Our client who won the APC Primary Election for the Federal House of Representative did not come this far only to resign now. Our client was in his home town in Obi-Ayagha, Delta State the whole of 24th and 26th October, 2018. Our client has no intention whatsoever to withdraw his candidacy for whatever ground.

 The said Mr. Julius Efeni Akpovoka claimed that his counsel, Mr. Lucky U. Odigie procured the said documents for him. Sir, the signature of our client on the said documents is forged. The documents have been forged with the intention that they would be used or acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of our client with the intent that APC, INEC or any other person or body may, in the belief that such documents are genuine, be induced to act on them.

 The forgery of our client’s signature on the letter dated 24th October, 2018 titled “Letter of withdrawal of my candidacy” and affidavit filed on 26th October, 2018 with the intent that the All Progressives Congress, INEC and others will act upon them as genuine is a criminal offence punishable with life imprisonment under section 467 (1b) of the Criminal Code Act CAP. C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

 That Mr. Julius Efeni  Akpovoka impersonated our client and proceeded to submit the letter dated 24th October, 2018 titled “Letter of withdrawal of my candidacy” and affidavit filed on 26th October, 2018 to the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress on 9th November, 2018 with a view to illegally, maliciously and unlawfully remove our client from the pursuit of his political ambition.

 The impersonation of our client’s person to the Commissioner of Oaths, High Court of Nigeria, FCT and to the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress are criminal offences punishable under section 484 of the Criminal Code Act CAP. C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria with imprisonment for fourteen (14) years.

 The conduct of Mr. Julius Efeni Akpovoka is despicable, reprehensible, condemnable and treacherous. It is an offence to commit forgery, it is even worse off to threaten the life of the victim of the forgery. It is adding salt to injury. Mr. Julius Efeni Akpovoka has threatened to kill our client on several occasions. The threat to the life of our client is serious and our client is seriously afraid now and has been traumatized by the repeated threats to his life by Mr. Julius Efeni Akpovoka. The likes of Messrs. Julius Efeni Akpovoka and Awharenovwe Andrew should be made to know that crimes of this nature are serious offences under Nigerian law for which severe punishment is prescribed by law.

It is in the light of the above, we humbly urge you to step into this matter and use your good offices in investigating this matter and bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to book.

Akpovoka denies allegations of forgery, threat to life

However, Julius Akpovoka, while reacting has denied forgery, threat to life and impersonation allegations leveled against him by the party’s candidate, Francis Waive.

Akpovoka while reacting to a petition by Waive to the Inspector General of Police, IGP to prosecute him over the allegations, absolved himself from Waive’s claims saying, “It is Waive that should be prosecuted for forgery over the inconsistency in his names in documents he submitted to the party.”

Affirming that he is in court in a bid to reclaim his mandate, Akpovoka said: “Though I would not want to comment on the legal intricacies of the matter since it is in the court, I want to debunk his claims that I forged his letter of withdrawal from the race when he was the one that personally submitted such letter at the APC headquarter, Abuja.

“There are also reports that he collected huge sums of monies from a candidate for the same position from another party and voluntarily withdrew from the race because he knows that he would not win.

“I did not at any place and time, tell APC faithful that Waive would not be screened because I am not part of the screening committee neither did I mobilize thugs in an attempt to disrupt the October primary even though my name was substituted for his name as a result of which I am seeking redress at the court.

“Based on this, I am giving him 48hours to retract the publication which I believe is an attempt to bring my name to repute, failure of which my lawyer would take legal steps against him.”