Ikechukwu Ukaegbu Emerges Labour Party’s Imo Governorship Candidate

Chief Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu (Ikenga) has emerged the consensus candidate of Labour for the November 11 governorship election in Imo State on Sunday, April 16, 2023.

Chief Ukaegbu, who was the party’s governorship candidate in the 2019 election swept majority votes of the accredited delegates at the Arts Nouveau , Owerri, being venue of the primary election which was conducted by the Alhaji Mohammed Alkali Ibrahim- led acting National Working Committee of Labour Party.

The boardroom political strategist, businessman and philnatropist, Ikechukwu Ukaegbu, from Owerri Senatorial zone, defeated his major Barr. Ihechi Ike, from Okigwe zone to emerge Labour Party’s candidate ahead of the November 11, 2023, governorship election in Imo State.

Declaring him winner of the primary election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in a most peaceful, transparent, and well organised exercise, Acting National Chairman of Labour Party, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali- Ibrahim maintained that having certified the requirements of the party and gone through the screening exercise, Mr. Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu is hereby declared winner of the election is his major rival, Ihechi Ike, after due consultations stepped down for him.

Information contained in a press release by the governorship aspirant, Ihechi Ike, and made available to the press as obtained by 4th Estate Reporters, had it that the Umueze born Ihieme Mbano lawyer turned politician had earlier sent his letter of steeping down notification to the National Working Committee of Labour Party, while soliciting their support for consideration as a possible governorship running mate to Chief Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu (Ikenga Ikeduru).

The jubilation that erupted the announcement of Ikenga Ikeduru’s emergence as a consensus candidate is a demonstration of his dedication and avowed commitment to serve Ndi Imo having carried the burden of Labour Party for over 10 years even before the wave of the Obi-dient Movement in Nigeria.

Chief Ukaegbu will have the sitting governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma of the ruling All Progressives Congress and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu (Samdady) of the People’s Democratic Party to contend with in the November 11 , 2023 , governorship election in Imo State.

Labour Party factions produce two Imo gov flag bearers

The crisis rocking the Labour Party in Imo State took another turn when two factions of the party produced different governorship flag bearers, Senator Athan Achonu and Ikechukwu Ukaegbu, in the parallel primary elections held over the weekend.

Ukaegbu emerged winner in an affirmative election where one of the aspirants, Ihechi Ike, stepped down for him.

The National Vice chairman of the party, North East, Mohammed Ibrahim Alkali, who represented the acting National Chairman of the party, Lamido Apapa, who announced him winner and handed the flag of the party to him noted that the election conducted had followed due process.

Also, the National Youth Leader of the party, Anselem Iragbe, addressing newsmen shortly affirmed that the election conducted on Sunday met all legal requirements.

According to him, the Julius Abure-led faction that conducted the Saturday primary election was not legally bound to do so.

He said, “The election conducted today, April 16, is the authentic governorship primary of the party. An FCT High Court issued a restraining order on April,4 on Julius Abure, the National Chairman, his treasurer and the organising secretary and asking them to stop parading themselves as the officials of Labour Party.

”This means from the 5th they are no longer officials of the party. So, whatever took place yesterday as election does not stand according to the face of the law.”

Meanwhile, the Aburi led faction of the party had earlier on Saturday conducted its own primary election where senator Athan Achonu emerged with 134 votes defeating his closest rival, Lincoln Ugunewe who polled 125 votes.

Other result from that election as announced by the returning officer, Dr.Alex Otti,Abia State governor – elect are : Martins Agbaso, 13 votes, Mrs Ndidi 1vote, David Mbamara ,5 votes, Charles Agomuo,1 vote, Kelechi

However, Ike given reasons for stepping down for Ukaegbu said “I will not say much, I entered Imo and saw that the State needed labour party and labour party is the party that Imo also need, we have seen the charade that has been going on in southeast, it’s very troublesome and we have come to cleanse it, this is what we need and on this I step down for Ukaegbu”.

In his acceptance speech, Ukaegbu vowed that he would never to surrender his ticket to anybody. He said “I thank you all for making this happen today, I want to assure you that I will make you proud, I will never surrender my ticket to anybody, I have prepared for this for twelve years and one thing I would like to tell you again is that I’m not an opportunist, together we would build Imo of our dream”.

Source:- Punch Ng

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