"You Will Not Escape This": Drama as Actor Emeka Ike Storms INEC Office in Abuja Over NDC Primaries
- Veteran Nollywood actor Emeka Ike staged a protest at the Abuja INEC office with his supporters following his defeat in the NDC House of Representatives primary election
- The aggrieved aspirant accused INEC and the FCT chapter party executives of secretly conducting the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency election to favour his opponent
- Emeka Ike claimed that aspirants were disenfranchised by sudden venue changes and alleged that non-party members voted without cards
Veteran Nollywood actor Emeka Ike caused a stir in Abuja on May 29 when he stormed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office with his supporters.
The protest followed his loss in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries for the House of Representatives seat representing AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in the Federal Capital Territory, conducted on May 29.
Source: Instagram
Emeka Ike accused INEC of working with the NDC FCT executives to manipulate the results in favour of his opponent.
In a video spreading online, the actor was seen pacing angrily inside the INEC compound, voicing his frustration over the conduct of the primaries.
He insisted that the electoral body was trying to secretly carry out an election process that excluded aspirants like him.
"You are forced to do the right thing and you are now trying to come and do election behind us. We don't have an address. We don't have an address while the election is going on. I'm an Aspirant and I'm a Nigerian. And I'm saying to INEC, you will not go through with this. I don't do social media activism. INEC will not escape this. You're hiding to do election because you want to betray Nigerians. We have come for you."
Source: Instagram
Emeka Ike explains reasons behind INEC office protest
Outside the INEC office, Emeka Ike explained further during an interview that the primaries were marred by confusion and irregularities.
He said many aspirants were misled about the actual venues, which left them and their supporters stranded while elections were already taking place elsewhere.
"There was so much serious chaos in all the wards, and we are not happy that some of us did not get the information of where the elections will be carried out. We mobilised our followers and expected proper accreditation, but instead people without party cards were allowed to vote. Some even came with voters’ cards, and we have videos of money being shared."
The veteran actor narrated how aspirants were first directed to the Women’s Centre, then to the local government council in the Trinity Council Area in Abuja, only to later discover that elections were already happening in different wards.
According to him, by the time his supporters rushed to those wards, voting had been concluded.
"First of all, a couple of us aspirants were disenfranchised because where we were told the election would hold was not eventually where it held. We were told that we're supposed to go to, first it was women's center, then they said we should go to our local government council area in Trinity. And then at the end of the day, nothing was happening around there. We are now told, we got information from our intel, that plenty of the wards have been activated while some of us were at the local government center. And then the election was going on in the ward, so we now have to start mobilizing our followers to run to the ward. And some of them, before they got to the ward, election was concluded."
Emeka Ike added that when he and his team confronted party officials at the INEC office, they attempted to flee.
His supporters blocked the gates, but the officials managed to escape through another exit.
"We went to the council area they asked us to go for election. We went to the INEC office in Area 10. We didn't see people voting. Then when we got to the car park, we saw some party officials with a few people in a corner doing the same electoral process, and we confronted them. They quickly got into the car and started running off. We blocked the gates with our cars. They saw they couldn't escape. We didn't know they can escape from the back of that INEC office."
Watch the video below:
Emeka Ike accuses Jaruma of misleading his son
In an earlier report, Legit.ng disclosed that Emeka Ike expressed anger and disappointment after his first son, Michael, modelled for renowned Kayamata seller Jaruma.
Emeka accused Jaruma of influencing his son into creating adult-themed content and said the development went against the plans he had made for his future.
In a strongly worded social media post, the veteran actor lamented that Michael left school and became involved in activities he believed were damaging to his growth, while also accusing Jaruma of negatively influencing him.
Source: Legit.ng
