Imo Guber: How Achonu Emerged Labour Governorship Candidate

Senator Athan Achonu, who represented Imo North Senatorial District, has emerged as the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the November 11 governorship election in Imo State.

Declaring the results in Owerri, chairman of the Electoral Panel and Abia State governor-elect, Alex Otti, said Achonu polled 134 votes to defeat his closest rival, Maj.-Gen. Lincoln Ogunewe, who scored 121 votes.

Other contestants, including  Martin Agbaso garnered 13, Mr Basil Maduka got one vote, Mr Ibe Ike polled three votes, Mr Sam Amadi received four votes while retired Capt. David Mbamara scored five votes.

Otti added that Mr Kelechi Nwagwu garnered nine votes, AIG Charles Agomuo got one vote while the only female contestant among the 16 aspirants, Mrs Ndidi Anike, secured only one vote.

The chairman commended the 296 delegates for their peaceful conduct during the exercise as well as the aspirants for their resilience.

He urged all the aspirants to support the governorship candidate of the party “so that together we can move as a team to win the trophy.”

“All we want is a very strong Labour Party in Imo. Abia state does not want to be an orphan.

“So we plead with you to ensure that a brother governor emerges in the state come November 11,” he stressed.

In his reaction, Achonu thanked the delegates for the confidence reposed in him and the stakeholders for their support.

Achonu is the third governorship candidate who has so far emerged from the various political party primaries conducted in the state.

He will be contesting the Nov. 11 governorship election alongside Gov. Hope Uzodimma of the APC and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu of the PDP.