It was a shocking revelation for Labour Partys Governorship Candidate in Enugu State Chijioke Edeoga, his lawyers and supporters, as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) witness called by him told the court that Edeoga’s name was not in the register which the Labour Party submitted to the electoral authority.
The witness (PW4), Edima Friday Emmanuel who is an INEC staff had during cross-examination by Peter Mbah’s lawyer told the court that the register which was submitted by the Labour Party in line with the new Electoral Act, 2022 which stipulates that all political parties must submit the list of their members to INEC 30 days before their primary elections does not contain the name of Chijioke Edeoga.
This revelation left Edeoga, his lawyers and the audience stunned, sparking murmurs in the courtroom.
All efforts by Edeoga’s counsel, Epiphany Azinge (SAN) and other lawyers in his teamto object to the testimonies of the witness failed as the tribunal told them that the party register in question was still part of the exhibits earlier admitted by the court, pointing out that the witness was called by Chijioke Edeoga and not the respondents.
“My lord, I can’t see any name written on the list as Chijioke Edeoga,” the witness told the tribunal.
Recall that Chijioke Edeoga contested in the May 25, 2022 Peoples Democratic Party’s primary. He failed and defected to Labour Party, and on June 9, 2022, emerged the candidate of Labour Party amid controversies. This was after the Labour Party had submitted the list of its members to the INEC more than 30 days to its scheduled primary elections as required by law.
While Edeoga’s lawyers were making unsuccessful efforts to declare the witness as hostile witness, the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate collapsed and was rushed out of the court premises to an undisclosed hospital where he is presently recuperating.
