The Labour Party, Imo State chapter is said to be swirling in confusion, following the emergence of Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi as the candidate of the party for Imo East Senatorial Seat (Owerri Zone) in the 2023 General Election.
Trumpeta learnt that there is anxiety and peace of the grave yard in Labour Party, Imo State, as Onyewuchi’s ticket has become object of apprehension and questions among Labour Party followers in Imo State, especially in Owerri Zone.
Information has it that before Ezenwa moved to Labour Party,
he had participated in the Senatorial Primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for Imo East (Owerri zone).
Onyewuchi moved to Labour Party after he lost PDP ticket to Hon Uche Onyeagocha.
Legal minds maintain that Labour Party is at the risk of being disqualified in that particular position, since Onyewuchi had participated in the same Senatorial primary in PDP.
Sources who quoted the new Electoral Act said that whoever participated in one primary, cannot move to another political party, citing the case with Senator Victor Akpabio, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, who all lost their APC Senatorial tickets because they participated in the Presidential primaries.
In the case of Ezenwa Onyewuchi, Trumpeta learnt that already before Ezenwa Onyewuchi arrived Labour Party, there was an existing candidate for Owerri Senatorial zone, who was asked to bury his ambition to accommodate Onyewuchi, who is a sitting Senator.
The Labour Party Senatorial candidate for Owerri zone, we learnt, has made it clear that he is not vacating his ticket for anybody, and has threatened to head to court, assuming Imo Labour Party files Ezenwa as its candidate.
Sources said that Onyewuchi’s name may not appear whenever INEC releases the final list of candidates, as it is very clear that he participated in Imo PDP, Owerri Senatorial Primary, which if he is filed as Labour Party candidate, will not be in tandem with the spirit of the Newly Signed Electoral Act.
However, a source close to the former PDP Senator maintained that Onyewuchi remains the candidate of Labour Party in Owerri Senate election, adding that whoever is not satisfied with that should approach the Judiciary for more clarification.
“Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi is the candidate of Labour Party for Owerri Senate Seat, and is the man to beat.
He did it in APGA, did it in PDP, and now poised to repeat it again in Labour Party. What matters is his popularity among his constituents” Trumpeta was told by an Onyewuchi Campaign Titan.
