· Confirms INEC postponement of Enugu East Senatorial election
From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
The Labour Party (LP) in Enugu State has said that its late Senatorial Candidate for Enugu East Senatorial District, Oyibo Chukwu was assassinated because of his political ambition.
LP said that any attempt to twist the gruesome murder of Chukwu to look ordinary would fail as the incident clearly showed it was “political murder.”
The party disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has postponed the Enugu East Senatorial election earlier scheduled for tomorrow Saturday, February 25.
The postponement was sequel to Wednesday murder of its candidate for the election, Chukwu who was shot and set ablaze in his vehicle alongside his aide.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu had hinted on Thursday that it would likely postpone the senatorial election for two weeks because of the murder of the LP candidate but added that the Commission would act only if the affected political party notifies it officially.
Enugu State Labour Party Chairman, Casmir Agbo who disclosed and confirmed INEC postponement of the election to newsmen in Enugu on Friday said the Commission took the action after the party met the requirements of the Electoral Act in such development.
He said, “INEC advised us and we met and wrote to INEC Abuja through the National Headquarters in line with Section 33 and 34. The party has 14 days to nominate another candidate for substitution.
“In line with the Electoral Act we have done what we ought to do and yesterday INEC cancelled the election. We will hold our primary election in the next 14 days.
So the election has been cancelled and a new date will be fixed by INEC.”
Describing Oyibo Chukwu’s death as shocking, Agbo insisted that their Senatorial candidate was killed stressing, “Someone who was shot in his vehicle and set ablaze. They planned it; the man was coming back from his village Amuri and they double crossed him at Amechi. They shot him in his car alongside other occupants and poured fuel in his vehicle and burnt it. So it wasn’t an accident or armed robbery; nothing like that. It was well planned and executed.
“So he was murdered. Oyibo Chukwu was murdered by assailants. Investigations are still on but the party sees it as a political murder.”
The State Labour Chairman however, assured that the killing of their candidate would not deter the party from marching forward to victory.
“His death will not deter the party; it will rather act as a boost. We won’t lose another person but we shall win this election in landslide victory. Enugu East belongs to Labour Party. Enugu State belongs to Labour Party. Killing somebody will not deter us,” he said encouraging members and supporters of the party not to relent.
