Ebonyi LP guber candidate denies collecting bribe from State govt

By Our reporter

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in Ebonyi state Mr. Splendour Oko Eze, has denied collecting bribe from the state government.

Oko-Eze who spoke to journalists in Abakaliki, was reacting to the allegation making the rounds in the state that he (Oko-Eze) collected #20 million naira from the state government and APC gubernatorial candidate, Francis Nwifuru to frustrate Edward Nkwegu of clinching the party ticket in the state.

Group suspected to be loyal to Edward Nkwagu had accused him (Oko-Eze) of picking LP ticket in error and collecting money from Ebonyi state government with plans to allegedly frustrate the party from wining election in the forthcoming general election in the state.

According to them: "He picked the Labour Party's governorship ticket earlier before the owners of the party decided to cede the ticket to Edward Nkwagu who's from Ebonyi North zone, believed to be the appropriate place the ticket of the party should go to, so as to garner votes and formidable structure ahead of the 2023 elections. 

"Splendour by all standards is said to not have the capacity to win the election even at his own polling boot. However, in line with the new electoral act, he's at liberty to cede the ticket to someone else or retain it. But his clinging to the ticket so tightly is not without a purpose of self aggrandisement. 

"There's intelligence that exposed him as reaching a deal with the APC gubernatorial candidate in the state. The intelligence confirms that he bargained with the forces at the sum of N20million" Nkwagu's loyalist stated.

In a swift reaction, Mr. Splendour Oko Eze berated Edward Nkwagu and accused him (Nkwagu) of trying to use intimation and cheap blackmail to forcefully collect Labour Party, LP, ticket from him, ahead of the forthcoming general election.

He said: "This is a propaganda and the handiwork of Edward Nkwagu because I refused to withdraw for him. 

"It's not true. Edward Nkwagu is doing everything to tannish my image because I refused to bow to his intimidation" he stated.