By Chinonso Alozie

A chieftain of the Imo State Labour Party, LP, and the landlord of the Labour Party Secretariat, in Imo, Dr. Libo Agwara, yesterday said the LP, would not be intimidated in their resolve to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in November 2023 governorship election. 

Agwara made this known to newsmen in Owerri while reacting to the drama that led to the sealing and unsealing of the LP party secretariat in Owerri, last Monday.

He linked the attempt to seal up the Labour Party, to the handiwork of some sponsored elements by state actors who wanted to use a purported court order to hijack the secretariat. 

Aaccording to Agwara: “I sent my boys on Monday to come and clean the secretariat. They came and saw  some security operatives and other people who denied my boys access to my building. I came myself and when they saw me and that I have superior police officers, they were discouraged and they started making calls and when I asked them, they said they were sent by the government.  

“They showed me a court order which was obtained in the middle of March by the Onyekwere  group. The court order was an old one. It was not a fresh order. 

“I remember when this thing started, I had earlier told the two factions of the LP, to  stay away from the party secretariat until I see  a proper court document of the authentic leadership of LP. then I will allow them in. They respected it then. I did not know how this other group started forcefully  breaking into my property. The group came twice and  broke into the building.”

Agwara was of  the view that  what happened “was the handiwork of  some Labour Party members who were disgruntled and  they  want  to force  themselves on us. 

“However, we  are hopeful we will defeat Hope Uzodimma if the LP governorship primary process is free and fair. I have told them. The candidate who will emerge must share the  same value as Peter Obi. If  they make a mistake, it ‘s not going to work especially  now that the official members steering committee for the governorship primaries has been inaugurated. We want them to do the right thing.”