Helen Ogbu was formally endorsed by the Labour Party at a heavily attended selection convention this week, to chants of “Gaillimh Abú, Gallimh Ogbu” by almost 100 supporters.
Introduced by party leader Ivanna Bacik TD, and fellow Galway city councillors Níall McNelis and John McDonagh, Ogbu, an experienced community activist, gave a rousing speech on Monday in which she implored Galwegians to reject government parties, but instead support left-wing candidates through strategic vote transfers.
Ogbu said her priorities were housing, transport and the cost of living – especially childcare and energy bills. She said state-led investment must be the solution for the “housing emergency,” while improved buses and a light rail network for Galway were key to reducing the city’s congestion in the long-term.
“Families need secure housing, relief from energy bills, access to childcare – which costs more than a mortgage – and we need to get more women back to work. To protect from excessive profiteering… do not support the government parties,” she said, to applause in the Radisson Red Hotel conference suite, filled to standing room only.
Labour HQ confirmed it has appointed George Lawlor TD as its director of elections for Galway West. Lawlor has his own experience of by-elections, as the former county councillor came a close second in the November 2019 Wexford by-election, necessitated by Mick Wallace’s election to the European Parliament. He subsequently secured his Dáil seat only three months later, at the 2020 general election.
The meeting was attended by Labour’s Dublin Central TD, Marie Sherlock, Sligo’s Senator Nessa Cosgrove, Labour Galway West President Peter Kenny, Chairman Tom Costello, former Midlands Northwest European parliament candidate, Fergal Landy, several senior Labour Party officials from its Dublin HQ, and SIPTU general secretary, Joe Cunningham.
The audience also included a number of prominent individuals from Galway city’s African, Polish and Ukrainian communities, who attended in a private capacity.
Formally proposing Ogbu as Labour’s Dáil candidate, Councillor McNelis saluted Ogbu’s efforts at holding City Hall to account, championing renters’ rights, and securing funding for the city’s first ever disability access officer.
“She is a strong symbol of our City of the Tribes, where 20 per cent of the population is born outside Ireland. Many workers here are forced to live outside the city, in Connemara and elsewhere, because they cannot afford to live in Galway city.” he said. Seconding the nomination, Councillor McDonagh saluted Ogbu’s work ethic as a politician and Galway Volunteer Centre project manager. “You could get an email from her at any time of day or night,” he said to laughter.
“Galway West will be an historic by-election, and your election will be a remarkable and symbolic breakthrough,” said Bacik in her speech, where she directly addressed Ogbu, the first person of colour to be elected to Galway city council: “You will be a breakthrough for this country and city, and [part of] a vision for Ireland where we have an equal Ireland, regardless of creed, colour, gender or ethnicity.”
Addressing supporters and members of the national media, Ogbu said her political heroes were Michael D Higgins, and President Catherine Connolly, who she campaigned for.
She said she came to Galway more than 20 years ago for security and safety, after facing political persecution in Nigeria, where her late husband was murdered. She raised their daughter in Galway, and has fostered more than 30 children here.
“Since then I have worked every day to give something back. All my life I have strived to help communities thrive, and that is the defining thread throughout my life… Equality, diversity and fairness is my political tradition,” she said. Ogbu, a devout Christian, also referenced her religion as a source of motivation.
So far, Noel Thomas (II ), Niall Murphy (GP ), Thomas Welby (Ind ) and Sheila Garrity (Ind ) have confirmed their by-election candidacies, with Friday, May 1, being rumoured as polling day. The vote must be held by May 11.
City Mayor Mike Cubbard is said to be on the cusp of announcing his candidacy as an independent, while an upcoming Galway West Sinn Féin selection convention will be a contest between Mark Lohan, Eoghan Finn and Kevin O’Hara. Aontú is expected to reveal a female, first-time candidate.
The Social Democrats, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have yet to publicly confirm selection conventions for the by-election necessitated by Galway West TD, Catherine Connolly, being elected president in November.
