Barely two days to the Enugu state local government elections slated for September 21, 2024, the Labour Party (LP) in Enugu East Local Government Area has officially announced its withdrawal from the election.
The decision was made following a stakeholders’ meeting held on September 17, 2024, where party officials and representatives expressed concerns over the integrity of the election process.
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In a press release signed by Chief Sunday O. Nome (JP), the Labour Party Chairman in Enugu East LGA, the party accused the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) and the ruling party of undermining the credibility of the election.
The statement raised alarms over the apparent disregard for Labour Party’s primary election results, claiming that ENSIEC replaced its legitimate candidates with names not approved by the party.
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“Our party held ward congresses across the 12 wards of the local government to elect councillorship candidates and a chairmanship candidate, Ibezim Denis Ekete. Despite submitting these names to ENSIEC on August 6, 2024, the electoral umpire chose to publish other names, which were not approved by the party,” the statement read.
The Labour Party also highlighted a legal challenge it had filed at the Enugu State High Court, contesting the actions of ENSIEC.
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However, according to the statement made available to DAILY GAZETTE, the court failed to assign the case to a vacation court, meaning it would not be heard until after the election, preventing the party from seeking timely justice.
The party leadership, while urging its members to boycott the election, expressed dismay at what it described as a deliberate attempt to frustrate the Labour Party’s efforts to participate in a fair election.
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They reassured supporters of their commitment to building a society based on fairness and transparency, despite current setbacks.
The statement also addressed the party’s internal challenges, noting that infiltrators with differing agendas were trying to disrupt the Labour Party’s vision.
The leadership pledged to root out such individuals and emphasized the importance of remaining united.
“We remain committed to picking out all the bad eggs that have infiltrated the party through the back door,” the statement continued. “We also wish to highlight the resolutions from the Labour Party’s expanded stakeholders’ meeting held in Abia State, where a caretaker committee was appointed to organize ward and state congresses, as well as the National Convention to birth new leadership capable of guiding the party to greater heights.”
The statement called on party members to stay peaceful, resilient, and focused on the future, despite the current political climate in Enugu State.
The decision to withdraw was endorsed by key stakeholders, including Hon. Prof. Paul Nnamchi, member representing Enugu East and Isi Uzo federal constituency, Hon. Osita Hyginus Okoh and Hon. Raymond Ugwu, both representing Enugu East constituencies in the Enugu State House of Assembly.
