From Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
A Legal Practitioner and the Director of Legal Services of the Labor Party (LP) Governorship Campaign Council in Ebonyi State, Barrister Eziaku Eze, says Dr Edward Nkwegu remains the authentic gubernatorial candidate of the party in the State.
Architect Edward Nkwegu.
Barrister Eze, the former Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Ebonyi State, stated this while reacting to the court ruling, Thursday in Enugu, wherein, Dr Nkwegu was allegedly sacked as Labour Party gubernatorial candidate.
He said in a statement that the Court merely ruled on a motion on notice filed by the party and another, to regularize the appeal processes filed in respect of an earlier judgement of a Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, in Suit No: FHC/AI/237/2022.
"Following what transpired in the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division on 19/1/2023 it has become necessary to issue this statement to enable the teaming supporters of the Party and the general public to be properly guided.
"The Court had ruled on a motion on notice filed by the Labour Party and one other to regularize the Appeal processes filed in respect of an earlier judgment of a Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki in Suit No. FHC/AI/237/2022.
"The Appellants/Applicants were in Court on the due date to file the processes but the Court was under lock and key because of the now notorious case of sit-at-home/insecurity challenges in the South East Zone of the country.
"This obvious force majeure is an unarguable fact within the public domain and was properly placed before the Honourable Court as required by applicable rules of Court but the Court in her wisdom allowed technicality to prevail over merit and by that did not go into the merit of the substantive Appeal," the statement read.
He enjoined members of the party in the State to maintain calmness and not to be distracted by the development and pursue with increased vigour, focus and commitment the electioneering campaigns and determination "to liberate Ebonyi State from shackles of pervasive poverty, bad governance, insecurity, unmitigated extra-judicial killings". he added.
