The Labour Party (LP) in Enugu State, yesterday, described as “strange” the claim by Chief Everest Nnaji that he is the governorship candidate of the party in the 2023 general elections in the state.

The party announced that Chief Chijioke Edeoga remains the governorship candidate of the party in the state, stressing that the position is not in contention.

State Chairman of LP, Uchenna Agbo, who briefed journalists in Enugu, said the party is still embarrassed by the claim, stressing that the party neither knew nor had anything to do with Nnaji. He stated that Nnaji “is not a member of the party.”

At a rally he organised at the weekend in Enugu to seek support for Peter Obi’s presidential aspiration, Nnaji had been announced as the governorship candidate of the party in the state, a development that caused an uproar, and nearly marred the event.

Agbo stated that the party in the state had, on August 9, 2022, held its substitution primary, witnessed by five officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and two officials of the party from the national headquarters where Edeoga was elected as the governorship candidate.

“Subsequently, the National Chairman issued the candidate certificate of return, in line with the party’s policy and the electoral act. It is strange how any other person would wake up and start claiming the position of governorship candidacy of our party.

“This brief is necessary to clear the air on the recent event where one Nnaji is misinforming the people of Enugu on the said governorship candidacy. Nnaji has never, to the knowledge of the party chairman and executive members, purchased our party nomination form,” Agbo said.

“Nnaji cannot tell the name of his ward or local council chairman of our party. I, therefore, wonder why he is trying to lay claim to what he does not have. I want to make it clear to the general public that Nnaji is not even a member of our party,” he said.