By Ndudirim Sylvia Iloka
The media team of former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, has rejected allegations made against him by supporters of Chief Engr. Kelvin Uche Okolie, insisting that political accusations should be supported by credible and verifiable evidence.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the media team described the recent allegations against Elumelu as misleading and accused his critics of attempting to shift attention from substantive political issues by bringing family relationships into the discussion.
The team said Elumelu’s engagement with communities outside his immediate constituency should not be interpreted as an attempt to interfere in areas where he has no electoral mandate, arguing that participation in democratic activities is not restricted by constituency boundaries.
According to the statement, political leaders and former elected representatives remain free to interact with citizens, community leaders and other stakeholders, provided such engagements are conducted within the law.
The media team also responded to allegations of political imposition and voter intimidation, questioning the basis for claims that Elumelu was attempting to influence voters through undue political pressure.
It argued that allegations of intimidation appeared difficult to reconcile with claims that the candidate in question already enjoyed significant popular support among voters.
On allegations of vote-buying and the collection of sensitive personal information, including National Identification Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN) and Voter Identification Number (VIN) details, the team challenged those making the accusations to provide specific and verifiable information.
It called for details such as the dates and locations of the alleged incidents, as well as the identities of persons involved, saying such information would make it possible for the claims to be properly investigated rather than allowing unsubstantiated allegations to dominate political discourse.
The media team also defended the APC ₦50,000 empowerment initiative, arguing that beneficiaries of the programme should be allowed to determine the value and impact of the assistance they received.
It said political actors should not speak on behalf of beneficiaries or diminish the significance of support provided to them based on their own political interpretations.
The statement further addressed comments concerning the outcome of future elections, stressing that Elumelu had never claimed the authority to declare the winner of any election.
It maintained that the power to officially declare election results rests with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in accordance with the nation’s electoral laws.
The former lawmaker’s media team therefore urged political actors and members of the public to distinguish between political rhetoric and facts that can be independently verified.
It said political disagreements were part of democratic competition but should not be allowed to degenerate into allegations that could not be substantiated with evidence.
The team reiterated Elumelu’s commitment to engaging with communities and participating in democratic activities, maintaining that such engagement should not be misconstrued as an attempt to undermine the political rights or interests of other contestants.
It added that the outcome of any political contest would be determined by voters through the ballot box and not by media exchanges, political claims or competing press statements.
