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I’ll reward Athan Achonu once I get into office as Imo governor – Ikenga

— Says former senator vigorously campaiging for me

By Ifeanyi Iheakanwa

Chief Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu has said that he will reward Senator Athan Achonu with a juicy position once he gets into office as the next Imo state governor come January 14, 2024.

Ukaegbu said the former senator is spending his money, resources, time and commitment in campaigning for the Labour Party in Imo state, applauding him for his sportsmanship.

The guber candidate popularly known as Ikenga, in an interview with our reporter on Friday said that Athan is being misled by some suspended national leaders of the party to fight the authenticity of his (Ukaegbu’s) candidacy.

According to him, the Julius Abure-led national leadership of the Labour Party, was on the 5th of April, 2023, restrained by an FCT High Court from further parading himself as the national chairman of the party. The Court also authenticated Apapa Lamido as the national chairman.

Such pronouncement by the Court, he argued, invalidated the candidacy of Senator Athan Achonu, who was said to have emerged through what he described as an illegal governorship primary election held on the 15th of April, 2023 in Owerri, the Imo state capital.

He recalled that his election as the party governorship flagbearer in the state was held on the 16th of April, 2023, and was recognized by the national leaders of the party including the national chairman, Lamidi Apapa.

He advised Senator Athan Achonu to respect the rule of law by obeying the recent Supreme Court order that authenticated him (Ukaegbu) as the candidate.

“I am not against Senator Achonu campaigning for me. It shows party sportsmanship and loyalty. But one thing they have advised him wrongly is making him swim in the illusion that the party ticket belongs to him.

“I don’t know who else he (Athan Achonu) is waiting to hear from after the Supreme Court, which is the highest arbiter of the law, has made its pronouncement authenticating my candidacy.

“See, Achonu emerged from an illegal process. That was why I needed to wait for the final ruling of the Court before flagging off my campaign as a law-abiding citizen of Nigeria. The flag-off is on Saturday and Imo people are ready to demonstrate their love for me and the Labour Party.

“Some people say that Governor Hope Uzodinma is sponsoring me. This is a lie from the pit of hell. Ikenga cannot be bought over with money. I a not a neophyte in this game. I contested for Imo governorship in 2019 under this great platform, Labour Party. Ikenga is a household name and the choice of Imo people.

“And to say that I, the authentic candidate of the Labour Party in Imo, has been suspended by my own party is, to say the least, laughable and baseless claims.

“Where was Athan Achonu and others back then in 2010 when I built the party and financed it single-handedly? Because we have toiled to bring the party to limelight and everybody is rushing to usurp our positions. No way!” he posited.

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