The controversy trailing the Governorship primaries of Labour Party, LP, ahead of the November 11, 2023 gubernatorial election in Imo State, seems not to be over yet as a Chairman of one of the factions has insisted that Senator Athan Achonu is not the standard bearer of the party.
Chief Akujuobi’faction that is said to be loyal to Lamidi Apapa led National Exco of the party has said that Senator Athan Achonu is not the governorship candidate of LP as his emergence was a product of illegality, adding that those that conducted the 15 April governorship primaries from where he had emerged had no locus to do so.
According to Akujuobi, he insisted that he is the authentic chairman of the Imo state chapter of the Labour Party (LP), having been reinstated by the Acting National Chairman of the Party , Bashiru Lamdi Apapa following his unconstitutional removal by the suspended National Chairman Abure while he was yet to complete his tenure as the elected Chairman of the state chapter of the LP.
He also noted that the purported state Congress said to have been held on Friday by one FBI Onyekwulusi is null and void the National Exco led by Bashiru Apapa has denied approving any such state Congress in the state.
Addressing a press conference at the weekend, Chief Akujuobi maintained that the authentic gubernatorial candidate of the Imo LP is Chief Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu (Ikenga), and not Senator Athan Achonu, stressing that even the erstwhile Senator for Okigwe zone knowns that himself, as the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) will be speaking very soon.
”I was reinstated as the state Chairman of Labour Party by the Acting National Chairman of our party Bashiru Lamidi Apapa on 13 April, 2023 after discovered that was unconstitutionally removed by former National Chairman Julius Abure and by the 16 April conducted the state governorship primaries which was monitored by the our National officers. And, a certificate of return was issued to Chief Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu and his the authentic candidate of our party.
“So , Senator Athan Achonu is an impostor as he is not contesting for Labour because he was a product of an illegality as those who conducted the purported 15 April primary have been restrained by the FCT High Court from parading themselves as national officers of the party including the National Chairman,Julius Abure. So, an illegality cannot be legal “, Akujuobi stated.
He added, “So, anybody parading himself as the governorship candidate of the Imo LP other than Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu is an impostor and I am speaking as the authentic state chairman of the LP and you can verify from the INEC .”
Meanwhile, he has called on members of the party to come together including members of the Obidients movement to rally round the party ahead of the governorship polls in November 11.
