.Imo Electorate Angry With Party
The Labour Party, Imo State chapter, could be said to be in disarray following a Governorship primary that has torn the party into pieces.
According to information available to this Newspaper, the Labour Party, which many has seen as cohesive, and may pose a difficult customer to All Progressive Congress, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the Governorship election, has literally collapsed.
As Trumpeta learnt, the Labour Party now in Imo State has Four Governorship “Candidates” from the fallout of the party’s Gubernatorial Primary that took place on Saturday.
Following this situation, the party and its members are now divided into Four Factions as the November 11, 2023 Imo Governorship election approaches fast.
Governorship “candidates” of Labour Party in Imo State include Chief Ikechukwu Joseph Ukaegbu, Senator Athan Achonu, Chief Basil Maduka and Mr Chibututu Isizugo.
Sources told Trumpeta that every move to reconcile the four “candidates” has fallen on deaf ears, as some of the “candidates” were simply planted by some forces from outside the party to cause trouble, which such “candidates” now relish, than listen to any story of reconciliation.
On Saturday, “Primary” Elections took place in Four different venues within Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The one held at Land Mark Event Centre, new Owerri, produced Senator Achonu as the “candidate”.
That one looked more authentic than the other ones, as the Governor Elect of Abia State, Dr Oti, and the Senator produced by LP in Imo State, Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi were all present.
However, despite the confirmation by Chief Okeke, LP South East Zonal Chairman that Athan Achonu is the authentic Governorship candidate of LP in Imo, but one of the top contenders in the competition, Gen Lincoln Ogunewe (rtd) has said that Achonu emerged through fraudulent activities as Ogunenwe accused him of bribing the Delegates.
The retired Army Officer has headed to court to challenge Achonu’s victory.
Chief Ikechukwu Joseph Ukaegbu came out as “candidate” from the Art Nuveau Event Centre primary venue.
Chief Basil Maduka was the Governorship “candidate” of those who gathered at MCC/Uratta Road, Owerri.
And Chief Chibututu was the “candidate” of another group of “Labour Party” members in a primary held in a Hotel in Owerri too.
This confusion favours PDP and APC members and their Governorship candidates who have been rejoicing and praying that the Labour crisis continues without end.
However, Imo Electorate are disappointed, as many of them had hoped that LP will give PDP and APC a big challenge in the election.
“Now LP has collapsed in Imo. We the Electorate had wanted to vote for Imo LP because of Peter Obi, if the party produced a good candidate. But now, the centre cannot longer hold for the party in Imo. Too Bad”, Prof Augustine Nwachukwu told our Reporter in Owerri.
