Imo Guber: Declare Ukaegbu candidate of Labour Party not Athan Achonu – Group

The Civil Society Organizations for Peace and Good Governance has told on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to the name of Ukaegbu Ikechukwu Joseph, as the authentic candidate of the Labour Party in the forthcoming Governorship election in Imo State.

Last week, the Court of Appeal recognised all candidates produced by the Lamidi Apapa-led primaries of LP ahead of the off-seasoning polls in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections.

Convener of the group, Uche Okoronkwo, at a press conference yesterday in Abuja, also recalled that on April 5, 2023, the FCT High Court restrained Julius Abure and others from parading themselves as Labour Party’s officers.

and in obedience to that court ruling, the Labour Party appointed the Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Bashiru Lamidi Apapa as the Acting National Chairman of the Labour Party in accordance with its constitution. Consequently, the Labour Party under the constitutional leadership of Alhaji Lamidi Apapa wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) changing its date of primary elections earlier scheduled by the court- restrained Abure from 15th to 16th April.

Abure illegally and notwithstanding the Restraining Order went Ahead to Conduct Primaries for Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa on April 15th 2023. Lawfully, the Lamidi Apapa-led faction conducted its primaries for Imo State on the 16th day of April 2023.

He said: For the avoidance of doubt, there is no parallel judgment of the Appeal Court on the Chairmanship of the Labour Party. The Appeal Court cannot rule against itself.

“The truth of the matter is that the judgment of the Appeal Court in Benin City is clearly different from the Appeal court judgment restraining Abure and voiding his primaries.

“The Appeal Court judgment in Benin which Abure is celebrating and misleading the public merely lifted his suspension from his ward.

“He should provide the CTC of the Appeal Court judgment in Benin. Recall also that the FCT High Court earlier restrained Abure and 3 others of the National Working Committee of the LP on the 6th of April 2023 following a criminal indictment against him bothering on forgery, perjury, criminal conspiracy and financial malfeasance.

“As the conscience, we align with the judgment of the Appeal Court and urge INEC to publish Chief Ukaegbu Ikechukwu Joseph ‘s name as the duly – nominated Candidate of the Labour Party for the Imo State Nov governorship election.”