By Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki
Tension heightened yesterday at the headquarters of the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission, EBSIEC, in Abakaliki following allegations by the Labour Party, LP, that the Commission was deliberately frustrating its participation in the forthcoming local government elections in the state.
The State Chairman of the party, Chief Henry Ude, made the allegation while addressing journalists after leading party officials to the EBSIEC office to obtain nomination forms for the polls.
Ude alleged that despite several visits, the commission had persistently refused to issue the party with the required nomination forms, describing the situation as a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise the party.
According to him, party officials were denied access to both the Chairman and Secretary Commission, even though their official vehicles were allegedly seen within its premises.
“We are here to collect our party nomination forms because we intend to participate in this upcoming local government election.
“To our greatest surprise, they refused to see us or issue the forms”, Ude said.
He vowed that the party would pursue all legal options available to ensure its participation in the election, stressing that democracy thrives on choice.
“This is unacceptable. We will take all necessary legal actions to ensure that we participate in this election. Ebonyi people deserve a choice”, he added.
Ude also raised concerns over the alleged high cost of nomination forms, warning that exorbitant fees could undermine the credibility of the electoral process.
“There can be nothing like a free and fair election when forms are said to be as high as ₦30 million. That automatically shuts out ordinary citizens”, he said, noting that the Labour Party would make its own forms affordable or even free to encourage broad participation.
Also speaking, the State Secretary of the Labour Party, Comrade Innocent Igiri, accused EBSIEC of deliberately using bureaucratic obstacles to edge the party out of the polls, stating that Wednesday’s visit marked the tenth time the party had approached the commission for the forms.
“Everything they asked us to bring, we brought. Yet, they keep refusing to attend to us. There is an underground plan to disenfranchise the Labour Party because they are afraid of us”, Igiri alleged.
He further claimed that the ruling All Progressives Congress ,APC, was uncomfortable with the growing influence of the Labour Party in the state.
“They know Labour Party is the only viable opposition in Ebonyi State. They know we will win in many local governments, including Uburu”, he said.
However, the Chairman of EBSIEC, Mr. Patrick Enyi, dismissed the allegations, insisting that the Commission had no intention of excluding the Labour Party from the local government elections.
Enyi explained that the delay in issuing nomination forms was due to discrepancies between the names of Labour Party officials who approached the commission and the official list of party leadership submitted by the Independent National Electoral Commission ,INEC.
“We respect the Labour Party as a duly registered political party.
But the guidelines are clear: only the chairman or secretary whose names are certified by INEC can collect the forms’, he said.
According to him, issuing nomination forms to individuals not recognised by INEC could expose the commission to legal challenges.
“INEC is the only body that determines party leadership. Once Labour Party resolves any discrepancy with INEC and comes back with clarification, we are ready to issue the forms”, Enyi stated.
He also dismissed claims of financial barriers at the current stage of the process, noting that EBSIEC does not charge parties any fees to collect nomination forms for the conduct of primaries.
“There is no monetary implication at this stage. Parties are expected to collect the forms, conduct their primaries, and invite us to observe”, he said, adding that the exercise is time-bound.
Enyi warned that political parties that fail to complete their primaries before the February 3 deadline risk being excluded from the ballot.
The unfolding controversy has raised concerns among political observers over the transparency and inclusiveness of the forthcoming local government elections in Ebonyi State, with calls for urgent resolution to avert legal battles and possible voter apathy.
