Ikechukwu Ukaegbu has been confirmed by a federal high court in Bayelsa as the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for governor of Imo state in the forthcoming off-cycle election.
Ukaegbu, better known as Ikenga, won the gubernatorial ticket in the state’s primaries held by the Lamidi Apapa-constituted electoral panel on April 16, according to a decision made by presiding judge Emma Akko on Friday.
The Julius Abure-led LP faction’s primaries held in the states of Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi, according to Akko, were illegitimate and illegal.
The primaries, he said, were held at the same time Abure was prohibited by a court from acting as the party’s national chairman.
The court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately upload names of candidates who emerged through “valid primaries” conducted in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states.
Nze Akujobi, Imo state chairman of the LP, hailed the court’s judgememt and described it as a true reflection of the will of the party.
He congratulated Ukaegbu and expressed confidence in his ability and the party to win the forthcoming guber election.
The election is slated to hold on November 11.