The National leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has disowned one Mr Onyeabo Ugochukwu Ngwu as its candidate for Igbo Etiti West State Constituency for the 2023 House of Assembly election in Enugu State.
This is a sequel to a suit filed against the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Federal High Court, Enugu, by one Williams Amuka.
However, the party in a statement issued on Tuesday, signed by the publicity secretary of the party in the state, Mr Ibuchukwu Ezike, said that Ngwu is not the rightful candidate of the Party in Igbo Etiti West Constituency.
According to the statement, the National Legal Adviser of the Labour Party, Samuel Oyelekan, said Williams Amuka, who hails from Aku in Igbo Etiti West Constituency was rightfully returned after a duly conducted primary which was witnessed by INEC officials and other stakeholders.
He said Amuka had approached the Federal High Court in Enugu through his lawyer, Barr. Chibuzor Ezike, and asked the court to declare him as the candidate of the party for the constituency.
Ngwu, a native of Umuofiagu Village, Ukehe in the Igbo Etiti Local Government Area had sworn an affidavit on INEC registration form No: SC/359 EN, dated June 2, 2022, claiming to be the party's candidate for Igbo Etiti West Constituency.
Amuka is asking the court to declare him as the duly-elected candidate of the party and order his party and INEC to recognise him as the party's candidate for the constituency.
Ezike said the state chapter of the party was monitoring the situation.
He alleged that it was all part of a conspiracy by an unnamed party chieftain who had become jittery over the rising profile of Amuka.
"Labour Party enjoins its members and supporters in Igbo Etiti West Constituency to remain calm as there is no cause for alarm, especially as the matter is already in court.
"We have hope that we shall become victorious both at the court and finally at the polls in 2023," Ezike said.