By Adeleye Kunle
The Labour Party’s Enugu State Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ibuchukwu Ezike, has confirmed that the Private School Proprietor, Mr. Ernest Ike Ugwu, remains the Labour Party’s valid Senatorial candidate for Enugu North district.
Rumours and innuendos have recently surfaced that Ugwu, who won the LP primary election to become the Senate candidate for Enugu North Senatorial district (Nsukka zone), had traded the ticket to another aspirant in exchange for a substitute.
But even Ugwu told our reporter that it’s not true, adding that he’s never been approached directly for such a substitution, only by proxy, and that he’s even refused the proxy’s request.
Ugwu is expected to challenge Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s candidacy as Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senatorial candidate for Enugu North in the 2023 election.
Speaking on the authenticity of Ugwu as the LP candidate, Ezike dismissed the rumour, noting that similar rumors had circulated for most of the party’s other candidates, particularly its governorship candidate in Enugu state.
“Our candidate for Senate in Enugu North is still Ernest Ikechukwu Ugwu,” Ezike said. Anyone has the right to say whatever they want, but if you go to INEC, it’s still Iyke Ugwu. He is the person to see if you go to the party’s National Secretariat. I have not been informed that another person has taken over as Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party in Enugu State. It’s similar to the Governorship candidate issue, where there were numerous permutations. People can say whatever they want, but we’re interested in the truth.
“Ugwu’s name was submitted to INEC shortly after the party primaries before June 15 and remains there.” We have not been informed that he has been replaced or that he has relinquished his candidacy to someone else. You can also ask him if he has nominated anyone else for the Enugu North Senatorial District. Unless he wrote the Party and INEC to withdraw his candidacy, in which case we have not been informed.
“Even if the entire Nsukka people come to the party to replace any candidate, that cannot be done unless the candidate himself relinquishes it to another person.” It doesn’t matter if everyone comes to the party; you must discuss with the candidate, which is why I referred you to him to find out, but for us here in the party, Ike Ugwu is still the Labour Party’s candidate for Enugu North Senatorial district.”
When contacted, Ike Ugwu stated that he was still the candidate. “No one approached me to relinquish the ticket,” he said. The propaganda is spreading, and my supporters are concerned. Nobody has approached me, but they have approached my friends. I have not seen anyone physically approaching me, and even if they do, I will not give up my ticket because I am confident of victory.”
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