*Waive petitions IG Police, says his life is in danger
*Waive pulled out of Reps race after collecting N50 million – Akpovoka
The House of Representatives candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Ughelli North, South and Udu Federal Constituency in the 2019 General Elections, Rev. Francis Waive, has asked the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to investigate the alleged threat to his life and forgery of his documents by a chieftain of the party, Julius Akpovoka.
Waive and Akpovoka both contested the primaries of the APC for the House of Representatives ticket but the former emerged candidate of the party.
However, in a petition addressed to the IGP, Waive is accused Akpovoka of being responsible for the theft of his Expression of Interest Forms and documents from the APC National Headquarters prior to the party’s primaries.
The petition signed by R. E. Waive for O.K. EDU & CO on behalf of the petitioner also accused Mr Awharenovwe Andrew for allegedly impersonating him in a plot to scuttle his candidacy as the APC flagbearer for Ughelli North, South and Udu Federal Constituency.
The APC candidate informed the IGP in the petition obtained by The PUNCH on Thursday that the accused had also made several threat on the life, saying that if the matter is not immediately investigated and the accused prosecuted he could made good his threat.
Waive stated that the stealing of his 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.
According to it, “…our client appeared before the Screening Committee on the 21st day of September, 2018 where the said forms with its accompanying documents were discovered missing. All efforts to locate the forms with its accompanying documents proved abortive.
“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.
“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 petition further explained that Waive had 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, had no intention withdrawing from the race.
“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”, Waive’s petition added.
When WARRI TODAY contacted, Akpovoka, he denied all the allegations of stealing, forging, impersonation and threatening the life of the APC Reps candidate.
Akpovoka said, “By the grace of God, I’m a Christian and I don’t threaten people’s lives. On Sunday here, Waive met with me and pleaded that I should leave the position of House of Reps for him after he allegedly collected money from a certain politician to withdraw from the race. He (Waive) withdrew from the race after collecting the sum of N50 million.
“Waive held a meeting in Lagos with the SDP candidate to withdraw from the race and he foolishly withdraw and signed a letter to the National Chairman of APC thinking that nobody will know. He’s talking of forging of documents…how can somebody forge your passports and original signature? Nobody has ever accused me of forging documents.
“He’s also talking of impersonation, nobody impersonated him. He had sworn to an affidavit in Lagos himself. He has withdrawn from the race after collecting at a meeting with top ranking APC chieftains. I am giving him 48 hours apologise and withdraw the petition if not; I will sue him for defamation of character. I also did not steal his documents.”
