Younger brother replaces murdered candidate just days to the election
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Kelvin Chukwu has been picked by the Labour Party to replace his elder brother, Oyibo, the party’s Enugu East senatorial candidate who was murdered on February 22, two days to the presidential and National Assembly (NASS) elections.
The senatorial vote has been rescheduled for March 11, the day of the governorship and state Assembly elections.
Oyibo was assassinated on the Amaechi-Agbani Road in the Enugu metropolis at about 7:20pm when he was returning from a campaign.
Kelvin won a rerun primary on March 5 in Enugu with 223 votes to defeat three rivals – Uchenna Ogbodo, Chinedu Nneji, and Chinyeaka Ohaa – as announced by
LP National Vice Chairman (Sout East) Innocent Okeke.
Okeke said the other candidates did not score any vote.
The rerun was conducted in the presence of two Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) observers, according to reporting by The PUNCH.
LP state Chairman Casmir Agbo praised the 231 delegates drawn from the 77 wards in the senatorial district for their resilience and support.
Kelvin promised to fulfill the dreams of his late brother and make the people of the district proud.
He disclosed the family is yet to recover from how Oyibo was shot and burnt alongside his personal aide.
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Killing of Oyibo Chukwu, supporters wicked, barbaric — Peter Obi
LP presidential candidate Peter Obi condemned as “barbaric, inhuman and senseless” the killing of Oyibo and some of his supporters on the fateful day.
Obi said he was devastated by the incident and urged the security agencies and the Enugu State government to fish out and prosecute the assassins.
“I am shocked by this dastardly act few hours to the National elections. There will never be any justification for taking human life,” Obi lamented, saying the activities of evil men do not represent the character of the Igbo and Nigerians as a whole.
He appealed to everyone to join hands to defeat such people who are an insignificant number of peace-loving Nigerians.
Obi implored people in the South East as well as election officials there not to be deterred or frightened from participating in the election.
He condoled with families of those killed and prayed that God in His infinite mercies would grant their souls eternal rest.
