Politics
Ebonyi 2023: Sen. Obinna Ogba, other PDP members plot defection to Labour Party
Ebenezer Oji, Abakaliki.
Senator Obinna Ogba, representing Ebonyi Central senatorial district, and some chieftains of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who lost out in the party’s primaries in the state, have been fingered in new moves to join the Labour Party (LP), a new political movement linked to Mr. Peter Obi, its presidential candidate.
PDP sources disclosed to our correspondent that Senator Ogba, who emerged governorship candidate in the already nullified rescheduled primary of the party, and other notable party members in his camp, are plotting a move to Labour Party.
Besides the senator, others said to be part of the move include Hon. Linus Okorie, who represented Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and Engr Henry Ude, popularly called as AJIMBEST.
Okorie and Ude had sought the the senatorial ticket of Ebonyi South zone, but lost out to the incumbent Senator, Mike Nnachi during the PDP primaries.
Yet, another PDP stalwart mentioned as part of the move is Engr Fidelis Nwankwo who is said to be discreetly battling Arch Edward Nkwoegu (EDON), who also lost out in the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election, for the Labour Party governorship ticket. It was reported that EDON was having an upper hand as at press time.
A highly reliable PDP source told our correspondent that Sen. Ogba’s had also made spirited attempts to get the ticket of the Labour Party to run for the governorship of the state after losing the PDP ticket to Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odi, but his attempt have hit the rocks.
“There is now a scramble for the Labour Party in the state. They believe that they can ride the party’s wave to win in 2023,” the party source who craved anonymity said.
“Ogba is still in court, but he is aware that he doesn’t have a strong case, so he is looking for alternative in Labour Party, but it appears that there is no road there for him. Nkwegu appears to be the more likely person to succeed there, but it’s still going to be complicated because the INEC deadline.”
In the meantime, those said to have been accommodated by the Labour Party arrangement include Mr Anselem Enigwe, a PDP Chieftain from Ebonyi LGA who has been tipped to run for the Ebonyi North Senatorial District under the party.
Our correspondent also gathered that a group in the Ogba camp met in Abakaliki on Saturday and vowed to remain in PDP, saying that they were ready to commence reconciliation moves with the party’s governorship candidate, Dr. Odi anytime soon just as the Friday, July 15 deadline for the final submission of candidates list draws to a close.
