BY TIMOTHY AGBOR
The leadership of the Labour Party on Sunday said it will support the decision of its Imo State governorship candidate, Athan Achonu, to challenge the victory of Governor Hope Uzodimma in court.
Achonu had earlier rejected the result of Saturday’s election and demanded cancellation.
He told journalists in his Umulomo country home in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state that the election was fraught with irregularities, vote buying and physical assaults of party agents.
Reacting, the spokesman for the party’s Campaign Organisation, Yunusa Tanko, disclosed that they were not surprised by the outcome of the poll following the level of harassment and intimidation their supporters were subjected to.
Tanko said, “Achonu is right to reject the election results. Definitely, he will be heading to the court in line with electoral provision to seek redress. That election is nothing but a scam. You know it is something we expected may happen. It is just that we have no power over what is going on in that state.
“First, they started with intimidation of our people and also booked all the hotels. Many of our supporters who travelled to work for our candidate’s victory were denied the opportunity of having accommodation and the level of insecurity was so high.
“We therefore support any action our Imo candidate is taking, including going to court.”
The Imo State chapter of the Labour Party has vowed to challenge the declaration of the state governor, Hope Uzodimma, as the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
At a press conference held in Owerri, the state LP chairman, Callistus Ihejiagwa, said the process that brought Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress as the re-elected governor of the state was faulty.
He described the poll as a daylight robbery and a reap of democracy.
According to him, it was surprising that the Independent National Electoral Commission could produce results in places where there was no accreditation of voters.
He said that elections didn’t take place in most places in Orsu, Orlu, Ideato North, Okigwe, Oguta, and Owerri municipality, yet INEC in collaboration with APC and security agents, allegedly wrote results.
He also faulted the Returning Officer, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, of the Federal University Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, for failing to address his petition before going on to collate the results and returned Uzodimma as the winner of the election.
Ihejiagwa said, “What happened in Imo State on Saturday was a sham. It was shameful how the security agents provided INEC staff and APC members the protection to rig the election.
“From our records, our candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, won the election. We will challenge the announcement of Hope Uzodimma as the winner of the election in court.
“If anybody keeps quiet, of course, Labour and our candidate won’t. We clearly won the election. We will retrieve our mandate in court.”
Meanwhile, a former spokesman for the People’s Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, on Sunday, felicitated the re-election of Governor Hope Uzodimma.
In his congratulatory message, Metuh stated, “I heartily congratulate my friend and brother, Senator Hope Uzodinma on his overwhelming victory at the just concluded Imo State governorship election and his reelection as Governor of Imo State for the next four years.
“I was in Imo for six days last week and as a former party National Vice-Chairman, who supervised the political affairs of Imo State for four years, it was clear to me and all discerning minds that the elders, business community, civil servants and indeed the entire people across all divide had their minds made up on voting for Governor Hope Uzodinma.”
The erstwhile opposition party spokesman continued, “Your Excellency, not so long ago, I played a huge part in ensuring your nomination and election as a Senator with the hope that your care for the people will be better served in politics than just pure personal benevolence and philanthropy.
“It is my fervent prayer that as you savour your landslide and overwhelming victory at the polls, you as well prepare your tasks now, to transcend from just the Hope of Imo to the Hope of the South East.”
Metuh added, “The South East needs to get all assistance from the Federal Government on security, infrastructural development, appointments and recognition as a vital link to building a true nation.
“It is our hope that you become the Hope of the South East in achieving this repositioning.”