By Eleje Ugwuja

Hon. Chijioke Edeoga, Enugu’s Labour Party governorship candidate, has given reasons why he had refused to identify with the people or issue a new year message congratulating the state, saying it was deliberate and personal in the face of the raging legal tussle against his ambition.

Hon. Edeoga, who recently addressed some of his hardline supporters who paid him a new year visit in Enugu, said there is nothing to wish or celebrate with the massive betrayal his support base had dished out on him, even as his major financiers and donors are backing down, surreptitiously working for another governorship candidate.

The governorship flagbearer, who is currently battling with Captain Evarest Nnaji (Odengene) in court over a case instituted by the latter challenging his unlawful exclusion from the party primary, accused Odengene of betrayal, corruption, bribery and manipulation of the court “processes in collusion with both High Court and Court of Appeal Justices to scheme me out of the election”.

“Why should I celebrate this new year? What is there to celebrate with all these acts of betrayal from my team, friends and supporters? The other day, the chairman, deputy chairman and members of Labour Party in Nsukka zone deserted the meeting they organised for me when I got there. What did they intend to achieve with that foolish act?

“Nobody should sympathize with me on the court judgment. People should sympathize with themselves. Odengene Air Shuttle that went to court to challenge us and his act of sabotage of littering the state with billboards will not be allowed to stand. He can’t be mad and lawless at the same time. I’m going to teach him some lessons,” Chief Edeoga noted.

Recalling how his friendship with Odengene started over 20 years ago, Edeoga claimed he met him at the instance of Senator Jim Nwobodo since they shared the same political interests against the ruling establishment led by Ebeano Family then. 

“Odengene was my friend. We were close and we worked together with His Excellency, Senator Jim Nwobodo years ago, even though Jim later betrayed us at the PDP primary election. I never believed Odengene can be a mole in this project. But we are going to teach him some lessons. It is better the Court of Appeal declares that Labour Party has no candidate in Enugu State than giving it to Odengene. I don’t care. There is going to be bloodshed and violence if the court allows itself to be further manipulated,” the embattled politician warned.

While accusing some Nsukka influential politicians of his present ordeals, Hon. Edeoga insisted that he had no intention of coming out after the PDP gubernatorial primary election which he lost until they came and prevailed on him with all the assurances of moral, financial and public support. 

“Where are they now? Have they not been bought over by moneybag politicians? Even the Anglican and Catholic churches in Nsukka that initially declared support for me have been bought over. I hope they are aware that there are consequences for everything,” Edeoga further stated.

The former commissioner and lawmaker in the state further charged his supporters to be on the lookout for any person abusing him and the party and show them they have no monopoly of violence in the state.

“Like I stated during the Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association, Enugu Branch, nobody has a monopoly of violence. No political party can shut us out. Not even the state under the PDP. We are ready to match violence with violence. Just be on the lookout for them. Deal with them in the language they understand if they won’t back down,” he said.