…not true, says Enugu Labour
National leadership of the Labour Party rebukes its Enugu Chapter for acting unilaterally on the issue of its governorship candidate.
An Abuja High Court voided the nomination done in Enugu and ordered a fresh governorship primaries.
Enugu Metro learnt that the national leadership of the party took a decision to conduct the primaries by themselves.
However, a desperate Enugu Chapter hurriedly met and decided that Enugu will push ahead with Hon Chijioke Edeoga as its candidate.
A spokesperson for the Chapter said at the weekend that Enugu Labour has appealed the Abuja judgement.
The spokesperson also said Hon. Edeoga remains the candidate.
This position appears to have angered the national leadership which publicly chided the Enugu leadership at the weekend.
National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim said that the Enugu spokesperson was going out of line.
He advised Enugu to proceed with caution so as not to “affect their cause at the national level.”
He regretted the decision to ignore a court ruling, and to do so without reference to the national leadership.
“This shouldn’t have happened without a directive from the national headquarters.
“We should be very careful with our utterances in order not to face the full wrath of the law.
“The Federal Court had given a judgment and it should stand till further notice.
“You can’t take any decision regarding that without recourse to the party at the national level. You don’t have to operate in isolation,” Farouk said.
The Secretary indirectly asked Enugu Chapter to suspend further governorship electioneering.
“As it stands, please, we have no guber candidate in Enugu State till further notice. Anyone parading himself or claiming to speak on behalf of the party does so at his own peril”, the Secretary warned.
Judge Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court on 9 November voided the primaries that declared Hon Chijioke Edeoga as candidate.
She ordered the party to conduct a fresh primary within two weeks. The party therefore has until 23 November – two days away – to comply with the court ruling.
It’s not true, says Enugu Labour
A source from the State chapter of the party however dismissed the story as “a fabrication.”
According to him, “No such statement was issued by the Labour Party.
“Was it not the same Labour Party that had filed an appeal since more than one week ago?
“You can’t file an appeal against the judgement and still ask for the conduct of primaries. You cannot approbate and reprobate at the same time.
“The law does not accept such please,” he wrote to Enugu Metro.
Labour Party rebukes Enugu Chapter on court ruling
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