By Emmanuel Ndukuba
The Labour Party (LP) screening panel will on the March 24 and March 25 begin the screening of Maj.-Gen. Jack Ogunewethe (Rtd.) and 11 other governorship aspirants seeking to get the ticket of the party ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Imo state.
The exercise which will take place at the party’s national office in Abuja will see the 12 governorship aspirants present their documents for authentication by the screening panel.
Only the aspirants cleared by the panel will be allowed to take part in the April 15 governorship primary which will take place at the Kanu Nwankwo Sports stadium in Owerri, the state capital.
A party source who confided with 108scoop.com said both the party and the aspirants are taking the screening exercise seriously.
The source said, “The party is very serious about the screening exercise. As a party with the message of a new Nigeria, we don’t want to adopt the old order used by the other political parties.
“That is why we are very committed to this screening exercise. Only those with unblemished records would be cleared to take part in the primary election.
“That is why we have set aside two days for the exercise. The panel is made up of men of impeccable characters who are committed to giving our party the best.
“Imo is a strong state and that is why we are committed to doing our best so that whoever emerges as the governorship candidate will have massive support from the people ahead of the General election.”
The 12 governorship aspirants include a retired Major General, Jack Ogunewe; a former senator, Athan Achonu; the 2007 governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Martin Agbaso; the 2019 governorship candidate of LP in the state, Joseph Ukaegbu; international businessman, Tochi Ehirim; and a former state government appointee, Ike Ibe.
Others are a former speaker of the State House of Assembly, Kelechi Nwagwu; Basil Maduka, Chinedu Amadi; a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Charles Agomuo; a retired Army captain, David Mbamara, and former APGA senatorial candidate, Charles Onyirimba.”
