A cold war may have erupted in the Enugu State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) over who is the rightful governorship candidate of the party for the 2023 general elections between former Commissioner of Environment, Mr. Chijioke Edeoga, and Mr. Everest Nnaji.

An event organised at the weekend in Enugu to solicit support for Peter Obi/Baba-Ahmed presidential aspiration almost ran into murky waters as supporters of the two politicians squared up against each other.

Both men were aspirants in the June governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won by Peter Mbah. Edeoga had since been paraded as the governorship candidate of the LP, following a primary held on August 4, after the placeholder, Casmir Agbo, gave up the ticket. He had also been traversing the nooks and crannies of the state canvassing support for success of the party in the elections alongside his running mate, John Nwokeabia.

However, his supporters and other members of the party were treated to a surprise and shock at the weekend when Nnaji was introduced as the ‘governorship candidate’ of the party in the state during a rally he (Nnaji) organised to shore support for Obi/ Baba-Ahmed presidential ambition.

The rally, which started with a road walk from Micheal Okpara square held under Nnaji’s “Charity begins at home” mantra had ended at the Kobb event centre for a conference with LP’s National Vice Chairman, Ayo Olorunfemi.

As soon as the Master of Ceremony recognised Nnaji as the governorship candidate of the party in the state had, a wild protests erupted at the venue.

Supporters of Edeoga, who were accompanied by a musical group, had immediately erupted into shouts of “day light robbery;” “We shall not accept it” and busted into singing and dancing “Edeoga, Edeoga, we shall follow, whether he is going or returning, Edeoga we shall follow.”