Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri
The Imo State Labour Party (LP) faction, under the leadership of Nze Ikechukwu Akujobi, on Friday described as authentic the June 23, 2023 Bayelsa ruling of the Federal High court, affirming Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu, as the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, in Imo State.
Akujobu loyal to the Apapa Lamidi-led faction of LP, stated this in Owerri, while reacting to Emeka Ihejirika, media aide to Senator Athan Achonu’s comment, that the Bayelsa judgment was “false.”
Recall that Achonu’s name was published by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, recently, as the authentic candidate of LP for the November governorship election in Imo State.
Replying, Ukaegbu said: “That the said Bar. Emeka Ihejirika in plain or simple language, is not the Legal Adviser of the Imo Labour Party. That he is likened to an onlooker who appears to understand little or nothing about recent developments in the Labour Party both at national and state levels. That during the said radio programme in which he was a guest, he failed to tell Imolites how Alhaji Lamidi Apapa emerged as the Acting National Chairman of the party.
“He also failed to tell his listener that the illegal state exco of the party was dissolved and Nze I.C. Akujobi was reinstated as the Chairman of the party in the state.
“He equally failed to tell Ndi Imo that Abuja High Court suspended Bar. Julius Abure as the national chairman of the party alongside three other national officers over criminal charges bordering on forgery, perjury, and other criminal infractions.
“That Ihejirika again failed to tell Ndi Imo that Athan Achonu was not screened and never participated in the primary election conducted by the court-recognised Apapa-led NWC of the party.
That Ihejirika lied by saying that the Federal High Court in Bayelsa State dismissed Sir. Basil Maduka’s suit against Ukaegbu on the grounds of lacking jurisdiction. This is lie from the pit of hell.
“The truth of the matter is that the Imo guber primary election conducted by the Apapa-led NWC on the 16th of April 2023, which produced Ukaegbu, was the authentic governorship primary election of the party in the state.
“Any other primary election conducted by Abure and his co-travelers in Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi states is illegal criminal, and as a result, null and void – thus said the court. Imolites are, therefore, advised to discountenance and disregard statements and claims credited to the free thinker and self-styled illegal adviser.”
