Achonu wins Labour Party ticket for Imo governorship elections ahead Nov. 11

One-time senator representing Imo North during the 8^th session of the National Assembly in 2015, Athan Achonu as clinched the ticket of the Labour Party to vie for the off-season governorship election in the state, scheduled to hold, November 11.

Achonu defeated his closest challenger, Maj Gen Jack Ogunewe (rtd) to win the contest, having polled 134 votes, more than the latter’s 125 votes.

The Labour Party which has been in a crisis following a leadership tussle as two factions have now emerged.

The main faction which received the endorsement of the 36 state chairmen, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) produced Achonu as the party’s candidate, in a keenly contested primary in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Saturday.

While announcing the result of the exercise, Returning Officer and Abia-State governor-elect, Alex Otti said Achonu polled 134 votes to beat his closest rival Major General Jack Ogunewe who scored 125.

“I hereby return Athan Achonu as the LP candidate,” he said, noting that the exercise was credible.

Achonu was elected into the Senate in 2015 to represent Imo North on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

However, in December 2015, the Appeal Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State capital upturned his election at the instance of the candidate of the Accord Party that his party’s logo was not included in the ballot papers used for the 2015 National Assembly election.

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Benjamin Uwajumogu was then declared the winner of the polls.

Achonu will contest the Imo governorship election this November against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and incumbent governor, Hope Uzodimma, and flagbearer of the PDP, Samuel Anyanwu.

All three candidates are former senators in the state; Uzodimma (Imo West), Anyanwu (Imo East), and Achonu (Imo North).

Other aspirants who contested the primary election for the LP ticket include: Martins Agbaso – 13, Mrs Ndidi – 1, Capt Mbamara – 5, AIG Charles Agomuo (rtd) – 1, Kelechi Nwagwu – 9; and Chinedu Amadi – 4 votes.

Ukaegbu emerges winner of Lamidi Apapa faction’s primary election

Meanwhile, in the other parallel primary election conducted by the Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party, in Owerri, Sunday, Ikechukwu Ukaegbu emerged as winner to represent the party in the Imo governorship polls, November 11, this year.

In a consensus vote, Ukaegbu emerged winner as another aspirant, Ihechi Ike, stepped down for him.

National Vice chairman of the faction, North East, Mohammed Ibrahim Alkali, who represented the acting National Chairman of the party, Lamidi Apapa, announced Ukaegbu as winner and handed over the flag of the party to him, as he remarked that the primary election was conducted had followed due process.

Also, the National Youth Leader of the party, Anselem Iragbe, addressing newsmen shortly affirmed that the election conducted on Sunday met all legal requirements.

According to him, the Julius Abure-led faction that conducted its primary election, earlier on Saturday, was not legally bound to do so.

“The election conducted today, April 16, is the authentic governorship primary of the party. An FCT High Court issued a restraining order on April 4 on Julius Abure, the National Chairman, his treasurer and the organising secretary and asking them to stop parading themselves as the officials of Labour Party.

”This means from the 5th they are no longer officials of the party. So, whatever took place yesterday as election does not stand according to the face of the law.”

In his acceptance speech, Ukaegbu vowed that he would never to surrender his ticket to anybody. He said: “I thank you all for making this happen today, I want to assure you that I will make you proud, I will never surrender my ticket to anybody, I have prepared for this for twelve years and one thing I would like to tell you again is that I’m not an opportunist, together we would build Imo of our dream”.

On reasons why he stepped down for the winner, Ukaegbu, Ihechi Ike said: “I will not say much, I entered Imo and saw that the State needed Labour Party and Labour Party is the party that Imo also need, we have seen the charade that has been going on in southeast, it’s very troublesome and we have come to cleanse it, this is what we need and on this I step down for Ukaegbu”.

As it is, the LP now has two governorship candidates; Achonu and Ukaegbu, contesting the election on the platform of the party.

While the court is expected to rule on the application filed by the mainstream faction backed by 36 state chairmen of the party, challenging the order suspending some executive members of the LP including its National Chairmen, Julius Abure.