In a swift move to checkmate the alleged hijack of the Labour party in Imo State, the party’s presidential candidate, Mr.Peter Obi, will now chair an Interim Screening Committee to screen all the 13 governorship aspirants in the party.
INNONEWS had last week exclusively reported that the Labour party in the State was on the verge of being hijacked by some powerful forces outside the party who are bent on imposing a governorship candidate.
This newspaper had also reported that some key leaders of the party, including Mr. Obi had raised eyebrows over the emerging development.
Governorship aspirants of the party had opposed the dissolution of the State Executives led by Mr. Ambrose Onyekwere, a move multiple sources in the party said were part of a wider plot by the “hijackers” of the party to advance their mission.
Mr. Onyekwere, whose tenure elapsed in May 2022 was replaced with Mr. Festus Onyekwulisi, as Chairman of a Caretaker Committee on March 6, 2023.
Few days after the exclusive report of this newspaper, the National Working Committee, NWC, and key leaders of the party, met on Friday, 24th March in Abuja, where it took steps to halt the party’s drift ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Imo State.
Sources at the meeting informed INNONEWS that the Caretaker Committee was set aside, and in its place, a 17 man Interim Steering Committee was constituted to take charge of the affairs of the party.
The source said “The Committee is made up of nominees of Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi, Senator Representing Imo East, Hon Tochi Okere, Member elect, Owerri Federal Constituency and Dr.Mathhew Nwogu, Member elect, Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency.
“The 13 governorship aspirants in the party were mandated to produce one nominee each for the Committee.
“Aside conducting the governorship primary, which will take place on April 10 and must be concluded before April 15th, the Steering Committee, was also charged with the task of embarking on Membership validation which will end on April 5, and election of three delegates from each of the 305 wards in the state on April 7.
“The submission of the name of the governorship candidate to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will take place on April 17th” the source concluded