Imo 2023: Tough Time Awaits Election Riggers – LP’s Senator Achonu

Barely three months to the November 11 governorship election in Imo State, one of the candidates contesting on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), Athan Achonu, has warned that the exercise will not be easy for riggers.

VerseNews reports that senator Achonu made this known while addressing journalists in Owerri, the state capital.

According to him, attention will be shifted to the state on security and conduct of the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“This is a stand-alone election. It has never taken place before so expect something new to happen and nobody will rig us out,” Achonu said.

“Labour Party has won without firing a shot. Also, It is an insult to say that Hope Uzodimma gave me money to sponsor me in this election how can that be? I have invested billions of naira so how can Hope sponsor me?

“I have invested billions in this state and the government frustrated it. The 10-story hotel building has been stopped by the government. I obtained a license to build a refinery and industrial layout in Imo and the government constructed a road to block my investment and many more.

“My partners are saying that before they can come into Imo state, they need a governor who is development oriented. Just like we have gotten it right in Abia state, we need it in Imo state and I am development oriented. I am right person for this job.”

He further said, “On the issue of security, immediately I become governor, I will introduce local security because every security is local, and with that, our people will be involved in the business of securing their lives. And another thing, we must do away with this siege mentality. At every junction you see security checkpoint is not the best way for us.”

On how he wants to protect his votes, Achonu said: “You saw what happened in the last election, if not the amount of money shared by the government in the last election and even at that, you saw they lost.

The labour party won. They shared thousands of dollars. I told our people to collect the money and vote according to their conscience. They listened to me and it happened that way.”