A Federal High Court sitting in Bayelsa State, on Friday, 23rd June, 2023, confirmed Evangelist Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu (Ikenga) the authentic candidate of Imo Labour Party for Nov. 11 governorship election in the state.
The court also declared illegal and unlawful, the April 15th governorship primary elections conducted by Julius Abure led faction of the party in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi States.
Delivering judgment in a suit brought before it by Sir Basil Maduka, challenging Ukaegbu’s emergence, Justice Emma Akko declared Evangelist Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu the authentic candidate of the party for the 2023 Imo governorship election having emerged through the April 16th Imo guber primary election conducted by Alhaji Lamidi Apapa constituted electoral panel in the state.
The court also declared illegal, the governorship primary elections conducted in Bayelsa and Kogi States on April 15th by the Julius Abure led faction of the party, noting that Abure was suspended and restrained from parading himself as national chairman of the party by Abuja High Court at the time of the conduct of the gubernatorial primaries in the states.
The court further held that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should upload names of candidates who emerged through the valid primaries conducted in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi States on 16th April, 2023 by Alhaji Lamidi Apapa led National Working Committee of the party.
Meanwhile, the Imo State Chapter of the Labour Party has congratulated its 2023 Imo governorship candidate, Evangelist Ikechukwu Ukaegbu on his victory at the Federal High Court in Bayelsa State.
This is contained in a congratulatory message issued by the state chairman of the party, Nze I. C. Akujobi, on Friday in Owerri, the Imo State Capital.
According to the message, the party expressed its absolute confidence in the ability of Ukaegbu to win the forthcoming November 11 Imo governorship election.
