Tension rose at the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) headquarters in Abakaliki on Wednesday, as the Labour Party (LP) alleged that the commission was intentionally hindering its participation in the upcoming local government elections. The LP’s state chairman, Henry Ude, made the claim after leading party officials to the EBSIEC office to obtain nomination forms, only to be denied access to the chairman and secretary.
According to Ude, despite multiple visits, the commission had refused to issue the party the required forms, prompting concerns about a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise the LP. The party’s secretary, Comrade Innocent Igiri, echoed this sentiment, stating that the LP had approached the commission 10 times to obtain the forms, only to be met with bureaucratic obstacles. Igiri alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was uncomfortable with the LP’s growing popularity in the state.
However, EBSIEC chairman, Mr. Patrick Enyi, denied the allegations, citing discrepancies between the names of LP officials and the official list of party leadership provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Enyi explained that the commission could only issue nomination forms to individuals recognized by INEC, as doing so otherwise could expose the commission to legal challenges.
Enyi also addressed concerns about the cost of nomination forms, stating that EBSIEC does not charge parties fees to obtain forms for the conduct of primaries. He warned that parties that fail to complete their primaries before the February 3 deadline risk being excluded from the ballot.
The LP has vowed to explore all legal options to ensure its participation in the election, with Ude emphasizing that the people of Ebonyi deserve a choice. The party has also expressed concerns about the high cost of nomination forms, which they argue undermines the credibility of the polls. As the situation unfolds, the LP’s participation in the local government elections remains uncertain, with the commission’s deadline for primary completion looming.
