A Federal High Court sitting in Bayelsa State, on Friday, June 23, 2023, declared Evangelist Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu (Ikenga) as the authentic candidate of Imo Labour party for Noember. 11 Governorship election in the state.
The court also declared as illegal and unlawful, the April 15th Governorship Primary Election conducted by Julius Abure-led faction of the party in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states.
Delivering judgment in a suit brought before it by Sir Basil Maduka, challenging Ukaegbu’s emergence, Justice Emma Akko declared Evangelist Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu the authentic candidate of the party for the 2023 Imo Governorship Election having emerged through the April 16th Imo Guber PrimaryEelection conducted by Lamidi Apapa constituted electoral panel in the state.
The court also declared as illegal, the Governorship Primary Election conducted in Bayelsa and Kogi states on April 15th by Julius Abure led faction of the party, noting hat Abure was suspended and restrained from parading himself as national chairman of the party by Abuja High Court at the time of conduct of the guber primaries in the states
The court further held that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should upload names of candidates who emerged through valid primaries conducted in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi States on 16th April, 2023 by Lamidi Apap- led National Working Committee of the party.
According to newsbreak newspaper online report, the Imo State Chapter of the Labour Party has congratulated its 2023 Governorship Candidate, Evangelist Ikechukwu Ukaegbu on his victory at the Federal High Court in Bayelsa State.
This is contained in a congratulatory message issued by the state chairman of the party, Nze I. C. Akujobi, on Friday in Owerri, the Imo State Capital.
According the message, the party expressed its absolute confidence in the ability of Ukaegbu to win the forthcoming November 11 Imo Governorship Election.
With this judgement, Senator Athan Achonu has been sacked as the governorship candidate of the LP in Imo State.
