The governorship candidate of the Labour Party for the November 11 governorship election in Imo State, Athan Achonu, has debunked the speculation that the state governor, Hope Uzodimma, bankrolled the primary election which produced him as the LP candidate.
Achonu who spoke in Owerri, the state capital at a lecture he organised ahead of the election, said that he was in the governorship race to win.
He said,
“I heard the stories that Governor Hope Uzodimma sponsored my primary elections with one million dollars. How possible can that be? Governor Hope Uzodimma is a product of the courts. So how can a man who refused to obey the court order to return my property, the 60% share of Imo Hotels to me and to pay me 100 million Naira be able to sponsor me with one million Dollars?
“I am not a thief, and I can’t be bought. I am in court with the government, and I have won the case. Obey simple court order, he cannot. He is governor because of a court order and he cannot obey simple court orders. I bought 60% of Imo Hotels and he has refused to obey the court order to return my property and to pay me N100 million judgement cost.
“Is it Governor Hope who cannot obey the court order to pay me N100m that will sponsor me with $1 million? I am here today to celebrate my life and to share my joy with you that my mother lived a very good life. So I want to assure you that come November 11 I will win the governorship election.
“Immediately I am sworn in, I will restore local government autonomy. I will use Imo State as an example to show what local governments can do if you allow them their money and the people monitor them.
“I have always believed that once you elect councillors and chairmen, you cannot have crime anywhere because every councillor will know all the people who live in their wards and will know who the criminals are.
“In my Akuruoulo, I have advocated for the establishment of vigilantes in all LGAs in the state. That is visible on my billboards everywhere. In America, they have sheriffs and policing up to rural levels. That’s why governors are asking for community policing but because of the level of corruption that is not possible yet.
“So, I will also ensure the judiciary and the state house of assembly and local governments have financial autonomy, then we can allow community because then there will be different levels of governance, different levels of authority. Then you will not have these dictatorial tendencies that the governors are exhibiting all over the place.
“Labour Party won everywhere in Imo State in the last elections. Labour Party owns Imo state. Even this last House of Assembly elections in Imo State. We are waiting to see what the judiciary will do.”
Speaking at the lecture, on the topic “Imo State, Creating Pathways to Economic Recovery,” an investment banking executive, forensic investigator, and development economist, Nnaemeka Obiaraeri, said that the LP governorship candidate would tackle issues of climate change and poverty in the state by providing massive job opportunities and tackling flooding in the state.
Pascal Odibo, business and development consultant, and Chibuikem Diala, tourism and green economy expert, in their separate contributions, said that the LP candidate would hugely invest in tourism and ensure that the indexes of doing business and investing in the state’s economy are made less cumbersome.
