By The presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi can now heave a sigh of relief following the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Julius Abure-led faction which elected him as the flagbearer.
It would be recalled that the former Anambra State governor, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), emerged as the Labour Party’s presidential candidate at a primary held in Delta State.
However, two other presidential candidates sponsored by different factions of the party have since emerged, causing a major upset for Obi’s presidential bid.
However, Peoples Gazette reported that INEC on its website has recognised Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Umar Farouk as the Secretary, and Akingbade Oyelakin as the National Legal Adviser.
Recently, a former Chairman of the party in Anambra State, Jude Ezenwafor was elected as presidential primary at a primary organised by a faction. He has, however, reportedly withdrawn from the race.
Ezenwafor was said to be backed by a factional chairman, Calistus Okafor who is currently challenging the legality of the Abure-led faction in court via a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1636/2021.
In a related development, another faction of Labour Party is backing the candidacy of Sampson Charles Uchenna as the party’s presidential flag bearer. Uchenna, a businessman in the petroleum sector, had earlier emerged as the party’s sole presidential flagbearer before the coming of Obi.
Meanwhile, June 9 is the deadline issued by INEC to political parties for conclusion of their primaries.
