Imo Governorship Election: More trouble for Labour Party candidate as kinsmen, party members disown him

Everest Ezihe, Owerri

It’s certain, that all is not well in the Governorship campaign camp of Senator Athan Achonu, the Imo State Governorship candidate of Labour Party, LP despite being embattled with litigations, some of his kinsmen and political party faithful have publicly distanced themselves from his ambition barely eight weeks to the State November 11 Governorship election.
Achonu who hails from Umunumo community in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Okigwe Senatorial zone, a week ago called a meeting of the senatorial zone that comprises 6 council areas to solicit support of his kinsmen and electorates of the Senatorial zone.
The gubernatorial candidate was disgruntled noticing that majority of the political stakeholders of the Senatorial Zone seems to have boycotted the meeting, his worst nightmare was the absence of Chief Tony Chukwu, Barr. Jerry Egemba and Dr. Elechi Chukwu of Ohanaeze Ndigbo fame, these are his supposedly allied kinsmen.
Other political icons and eminent personalities who were unpredictably absent are Prof. Maurice Iwu, HRM Eze Dr. Oliver Ohanwe, His Excellency Chief Ikedi Ohakim, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, Senator Slyvester Anyanwu, Ikemba Okigwe, Rt. Hon. Acho Ihim, Prof. Nnamdi Obiaraeri,Hon. Ifeanyi Agwu, Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu Chukwu, Dr. E.J.K Onyemaechi, Ok 2000, Barr. Ifeanyi Agwu, Sir George Egu, Chief Chris Okewulonu among others.
Surprisingly, earlier in the week majority of these people where at Chief Tony Chukwu, ancestral home with over 2000 other eminent sons and daughters of the Senatorial zone in a crucial stakeholders meeting presided over by HRM Eze Dr. Oliver Ohanwe, Obi Gburu Gburu and Chairman Okigwe Global Elders Forum, (OKGEF), spear heading as arrowheads in the senatorial zone with a unanimous decision to support fully the second term ambition of Governor Hope Uzodimma of All Progressive Congress, (APC).
They likened Achonu ambition, as a dog in a manager recruited by alleged political detractors just to truncate the state political Charter of Equity that perfectly endorsed the state’s adoption of zoning formula so as to jettison unnecessary political bickerings, wranglings and acrimony and Institute political stability, fairness, equity and justice.
Moreso, just last Tuesday as Achonu campaign team were having the euphoria of flagging off their campaign at Kanu Nwankwo, Sports Complex, Owerri some members of Labour Party were on the ground with posters drumming it to the ears of all concerned including Mr. Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the party, Chief Julius Abure, the National Chairman of the party , His Excellency Chief Alex Oti, the Abia State Governor among other dignitaries that Achonu is not their preferred candidate but rather Chief Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu, Ikenga who hails from Inyishi in Ikeduru LGA whom they insisted is an authentic member of the party and won the party governorship primaries.
Similarly, a group under the auspices of Okigwe Senatorial Zone Political Concerned Citizens, led by Hon. Felix Uzoma on the same Tuesday called a press briefing at a prestigious hotel in New Owerri, Imo State and discredited Achonu, their kinsman and his ambition, describing him as ” an overzealous and ambitious politician”.
They accused Achonu of always isolating himself from the leadership of the Senatorial zone only recognizing them whenever he has a political ambition, insisting that things are not done in that way.
They also accused him of poor quality representation when he had their mandate as their Senator while advising him to jettison his ambition and pitch his political tent with them as the State Charter of Equity does not favour him now.
They pointed out that they have an implicit confidence, trust and support on Governor Uzodimma’s re-election bid, in view of the infrastructural developments and human capacity building he endowed to the Senatorial Zone.