According to court documents sighted by our news outlet, Hon. Chuma Nzeribe, the LP candidate and one time member of the House of Representatives, is a convicted felon.
In 2020, Nzeribe was arraigned at an FCT High Court Holden in Maitama, Abuja before Justice Y. Halilu on a for count charge bothering on fraud, cheating by impersonation, forgery of government document and misrepresentation. The case stemmed from the suit filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in case number FCT/CR/791/2020 titled Hon Chuma Nzeribe v Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Upon his conviction he was sentenced to 10 years in Prison for Count 1, 10 years for Count 2 and five years in prison for count 3. The prison terms are to run concurrently. He was also fined N10m on each of the 4 Count charges.
Upon his conviction and sentencing he was confined to Kuje Correctional Centre to live his prison terms.
The question begging for answers is, how did a convicted felon who ought to be sitting his ass in prison let out and allowed to contest and be nominated as senatorial candidate of the Labour Party. His candidature is not just a slap on our democracy and judicial system but a travesty of section 66 (1)(c) and (d).
The Section 66 (1) reproduced thus disqualifies a person from contesting for office:
(c)if he is under the sentence of death imposed on him by a court of competent jurisdiction or tribunal in Nigeria or a sentence of imprisonment or fine or any other offence imposed on him by any such court or tribunal or substituted by any competent authority for any other sentence imposed on him.
(d) Within a period of less than ten years before the date of an election to a legislative house, has been convicted and sentenced for an offence involving dishonesty or has been found guilty of contravention of the Code of Conduct.
To read more on this story, click to download the full Court judgement
By Okeke Nnamdi
