The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has identified the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi and the Enugu State governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, as the two biggest casualties of the flawed electoral act in 2023.
Aburi, however, appointed Edeoga to the team of the party’s committee that would work for the reformation of the nation’s electoral act.
In a statement by the National Publicity of the party, Obiora Ifoh, Abure spoke when the Enugu State governorship candidate paid a ‘Thank You’ visit to the national headquarters of the Labour Party.
Edeoga also gave an account of how he contested but was rigged out in the March 18th 2023 election by the collusion of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) and Enugu State government.
Edeoga, according to the statement, said he was yet to come to terms with the final judgement against him even with the obvious evidence that supported his victory and pleaded with the party to support electoral act reform.
“The electoral brigandage and vote rigging are the most dangerous things that can happen in a democracy. Because the people who vote are voting on the basis of their prayers, based on their frustrations, based on their expectations but as soon as they cast their votes, the votes disappeared.
“So, anything we can do to protect the sanctity of votes, we should do it. The votes mean someone’s approval for a candidate. It is more than a physical act. It is not just a symbolic act, it has a spiritual dimension,” Edeoga said.
He said, “After the Supreme Court judgement, many people have not come to terms with it. A lot of people are facing one ill health or the other. The judgement threw Enugu into a mourning condition. I have not come to terms with it and I will never come to terms with it.
“But I have to come here to tell you that the ticket you gave me, I did not play with it, I did not trade with it, I did not bargain with it. I knew that my people entrusted their mandate to me but it was not my fault, I tried my best. I came to say thank you. I came to say, I am here send me to continue the work of national redemption,” he lamented.”
Abure, in his response, said, “It is very clear that they robbed us of that election. It was done in collusion with INEC officials and the PDP government in Enugu State. The whole world is aware of it.
“Even before you spoke about electoral reforms the party has decided since last year that we are going to pursue electoral reforms in Nigeria. And that what happened to us in the general election will never happen to us again.”
Abure said the only people who could pursue electoral reforms were victims of the process.
