From Magnus Eze, Enugu

Governorship candidate of Labour Party (LP) in Enugu State, Chijioke Edeoga has said total victory for the party in the March 11 poll will help sooth the spirit of slain senatorial candidate for Enugu East Zone, Oyibo Chukwu. 

The senatorial hopeful was brutally murdered  barely 48 hours to the February 25 election at Awkunanaw in Enugu South Local government on his way to the state capital from Agbani.

Edeoga who said the late Chukwu was poised to win the election disclosed that the search for his replacement was almost concluded.

“Let me inform you that our party, Labour Party has taken steps, as the law allows that a replacement is put in place so that on the 11th of March as INEC has stated, Labour Party will field a candidate that will replace Oyibo and run for the senatorial seat of Enugu East Senatorial zone, so that, the place will not remain unrepresented at any point in time.

“We are taking steps; we are consulting important stakeholders to make sure that the person who emerges would meet the various expectations, both of the zone, of the Oyibo family, and of the Labour Party leadership in Abuja and Enugu State. We are looking for somebody who will match these expectations and field the person. And hopefully, the person will win given the trend in Enugu State at this point in time…And he was poised to win, given  the fact that in his zone virtually all the party’s candidates won, but he was murdered in cold blood, somewhere in Awkunnanw, Enugu South.”

Daily Sun gathered that no fewer than five persons have expressed interest in the vacant  ticket. However, younger brother to the deceased candidate, Kelvin Chukwu, is being touted as likely replacement  to serve as consolation to the greater Pa Gilbert Chukwu family of Amurri in Nkanu Clan.

The primary election is expected to hold within the week.