The Abia State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has issued a strong call for the public to disregard a recent announcement made by the party’s former chairman, Ceekay Igara, concerning the sale of nomination forms in preparation for the November 2 Local Government election. According to the party’s leadership, Mr. Igara no longer holds any official position within the Labour Party, and any directives issued by him should be considered null and void.
In a statement made public on Wednesday, the acting chairman of the party, Emmanuel Otti, made it clear that members and the public should only seek nomination forms from the official Labour Party secretariat located in Umuahia, the state capital. He emphasized that any official party communication or directives must come from the Caretaker Committee currently overseeing the party’s affairs.
Otti went on to clarify that any contradictory statements or information should be treated as acts of impersonation and promptly reported to the relevant authorities to avoid confusion among party members and the general public.
In his statement, Otti said, “The attention of the Labour Party, Abia State chapter, has been drawn to a misleading radio announcement made by the former chairman of the Labour Party in the state, Mr. Ceekay Igara, in which he directed the public on where to purchase nomination forms for the party’s primaries ahead of the upcoming Local Government Election in the state.”
“We urge the public to ignore this unauthorised announcement. Mr. Igara’s tenure, along with that of other members of the state and National Working Committees under Julius Abure, has expired. As a result, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) no longer recognizes their leadership. In response to this, the Labour Party established a National Caretaker Committee, which is currently chaired by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman.”
Otti assured that the Labour Party in Abia State is not seeking to exploit its members or the public by engaging in fraudulent practices such as extortion. He reiterated that the sale of forms and the selection of candidates for the upcoming election will be conducted in an orderly, responsible, and peaceful manner. The goal is to ensure that peace and harmony prevail, both during and after the electoral process.