Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, David Umahi has been rebuked by the National Consultative Front and coalition of human rights organisations in South-East over his threat on members of the Labour Party in his state, especially the governorship candidate of the party, Splendour Eze

The group in a communique issued in Enugu after a meeting of the South-East leadership of NCFRONT on Friday, expressed their total and unreserved commitment to support the Nigerian youths in their irreversible quest for a new Nigeria anchored on good governance, equal rights and justice in the country.

The communiqué was signed by the Executive Director, Civil Liberty Organisation, Comrade Ibuchukwu Ezike; Director, International Solidarity for Peace and Human Right Initiative, Osmond Ugwu; the South-East Zonal Secretary of the NCFRONT and National Coordinator, Mass Action for Grassroot Mobilisation, Kenneth Nwankwo, and Ebonyi State Secretary of NCFRONT, Eze Obasi.

They specifically accused Governor Umahi of using the All Progressives Congress’ loyalists and henchmen to interfere in internal affairs of Labour Party in the state.

According to the Coalition, the Ebonyi State Governor is making frantic effort to see that the Labour Party governorship candidate, Splendor Eze, does not function as the LP governorship flagbearer even when the court has recognised Eze as the authentic candidate.

The group wondered why Umahi, who was from an opposition party, was interfering in the internal affairs of another party, and resolved as follows:

“That Comrade Splendour Eze is the authentic Governorship Candidate of Labour Party in Ebonyi State.

“That despite the ruling by the Federal High Court Abakaliki in favour of Splendor Eze in the aforementioned matter, His Excellency, the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi continued to interfere in the Internal Affairs of Labour party through his APC loyalists in the state.

“That as a law abiding organisation, the NCFRONT and the coalition of Human Right Organisations in the South-East totally support the candidature of Splendor Eze and call on the National Secretariat of Labour Party and INEC to publish the name of Splendor Eze as the bona fide Governorship candidate of Labour Party for the 2023 Elections in Ebonyi State.

“That the Civil Society Group and NCFRONT South-East discovered that there is no substantive Labour Party Executives from ward to state level in Ebonyi State and resolved that the Governorship Candidate, Splendor Eze, the Ebonyi State Labour Congress and the leadership of NCFRONT should be authorised by the National Secretariat of Labour Party to immediately inaugurate the state, Local Government and Ward Executives of the Party in the state.

“As a critical support backbone of Labour Party at all levels, we urge the national office to resolve the contentious issues in Ebonyi State to avoid cogwheeling the smooth synergy existing between the coalition and the labour party in Ebonyi.

“The coalition is not unmindful of the antics of one Arc. Edward Nkwegu (aka Edom), who is fronting for the governor and making desperate attempt to destabilise the party through subterfuge and unwinding monetary inducement.

“The coalition insists it will not support any candidate in the state whose emergence negates the principles of moral and natural justice for which the Labour Party and its critical support base, which the coalition represents, are known.”