INEC has disclosed that Peter Obi is the authentic Labour Party presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections. An INEC official, Mr. Festus Okoye, addressed the Peter Obi vs Jude Ezenwafor matter, on Thursday, to clear the air seeing that allegations had been making rounds on social media, claiming that the Labour Party has three presidential candidates.
He confessed that the only Chairman of the Labour Party that he knew of was Julius Abure. And, that it was only the name of the presidential primary winner that Mr. Abure gave to him (Okoye), that he would recognize. Mr. Okoye also said that the Labour Party held their presidential primaries in Asaba on 30th May, and all the other candidates stepped down for Peter Obi. The names of the aspirants that stepped down were Professor Pat Utomi, Faduri Joseph, and Olubusola Emmanuel-Tella.
The political party might have some legal problems that they were yet to address leading to what might probably be factions in the party. The political party has been silent and peaceful, that is until Peter obi emerged as the winner of the party’s primaries, prompting other factions of the party to bring out their candidate, to compete with Mr. Obi.
Sampson Uchenna, a businessman declared that he was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party. And, just on Wednesday, 8th June, another individual, Calistus Okafor, the chairman of one of the factions in the party brought out another candidate Chief Digar Ezenwafor to be the Labour Party’s flagbearer. Acting National Publicity Secretary of Labour party Abayomi Arabambi has reported that anyone claiming to represent the party apart from the known Julius Abure was a criminal and he has denied claims that the Labour Party had factional candidates.
“We have only one Labour Party in Nigeria and Mr. Peter Obi is our Presidential Candidate” the Party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, concluded.
