INEC Recognises Peter Obi As Labour Party’s Presidential Candidate

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recognised the former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, as the authentic presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).

Naija News recall that Obi emerged as the winner of the LP presidential primaries held on May 30 in Asaba, Delta State, while Jude Ezenwafor was said to have won another election organised by another faction of the party.

However, Ezenwafor on Thursday stepped down as the presidential candidate of the parallel faction which conducted its presidential election on Wednesday.

In an interview with TheCable, INEC spokesman, Festus Okoye said the electoral umpire only recognises the presidential primary that produced Obi as the LP’s presidential candidate.

Okoye disclosed that the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) is Julius Abure, judging from the records of the electoral commission.

He noted that Abure-led LP complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 on conducting party primary, adding that the election that produced Obi was monitored by INEC.

He said: “From the records of the commission, the national chairman of Labour Party (LP) is one Julius Abure. The same Abure gave the commission the 21 days statutory notice required for the conduct of party primary. In other words, no political parties can conduct party primaries without giving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the statutory 21 days notice.

“It was the same Abure that gave the commission the date for the conduct of their presidential primary which was slated to take place in Asaba.

“The commission also monitored this presidential primary in Asaba which took place on May 30, 2022. It was at this presidential primary that Peter Obi was produced as the presidential candidate of Labour Party.

“The commission has given Julius Abure the access code to the candidate nomination portal through which the name of the right presidential candidate will be uploaded into our candidate nomination portal beginning from tomorrow.

“So as far as the commission is concerned, there is no faction in Labour Party as the commission did not monitor any other presidential primary other than the one organised by the one Labour Party under the leadership of Julius Abure which took place in Asaba on May 30, 2022.”