Leadership crisis: Court affirms Eze Oko as Ebonyi LP guber candidate

A federal high court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state, has upheld the primary of the Labour Party (LP) which produced Eze Splendour Oko as the party’s governorship candidate.

The court, in its ruling delivered on Wednesday, also nullified a primary held on August 2, which produced Edward Nkwegu as another governorship candidate of the party in the state.

The August 2 primary was held amid a leadership crisis within the party in the state, with one of the factions supporting Nkwegu.

Fatun Riman, the presiding judge, held that the primary held on June 9 was still valid since Eze has not withdrawn from the race.

According to Riman, a political party cannot field a new candidate until a legitimately nominated candidate withdraws from the contest.

Michael Odo, counsel to Eze, commended the ruling and affirmed that his client has not withdrawn from the race.

“My client is the governorship candidate of LP and he has not withdrawn. And not until he withdraws, no other candidate can emerge as a candidate in that party,” he said.

“The court had upheld the primary that was conducted earlier in June in favour of Splendour and set aside the purported second primary held yesterday, August 2, 2022.

“People should abide by the electoral act and party guidelines. If you want to take over from a candidate of a political party, where a candidate was validly nominated and the name of the person already forwarded to INEC; the person has to withdraw his candidature in writing, then after that withdrawal, that is when another person can take over.

“My client, Splendour, remains the governorship candidate of Labour Party in the state and no other person.”