Anthony Iwuoma
Ahead of the gubernatorial election in Imo State in November this year, the Labour Party flag bearer, Senator Athan Nneji Achonu, has absolved himself and the party of any involvement in the crisis that had engulfed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
The entire Executives of the Imo State PDP resigned en masse from the positions and membership of the party, following prolonged internal squabbles.
They cited threats to their lives, including intimidation, violence and assassination attempts, which they blamed on a principal member of the Party, as reason for their action.
However, no sooner had the officials resigned that rumours began to filter in, accusing Achonu of instigating the people and inducing them with hefty bribes to crossover to his Labour Party.
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But the Athan Achonu Media Centre in a swift reaction has debunked the rumours and described it as ,”not only puerile but a fancy too wild to imagine.”
In a statement he personally signed, the head of the media centre, Chibuikem Diala said, “The reasons for the mass resignation of the state exco of PDP were clearly explained in their statement wherein they alleged threats to their lives, including assassination attempts of which the last was witnessed on Saturday hence prompting them to run for their dear lives.
“It is left for the purveyors of the false news, linking Achonu with the crisis to tell the public what they know about the allegations instead of calling a dog a bad name to hang it.
“It is worth noting that Achonu did not even attend the wake-keep of the Ihedioha matriarch. He was in faraway Enugu State, attending the wake keep of Senator Ken Nnamani’s wife, and, therefore, could not have been present in any nocturnal meeting in Mbutu Mbaise where the alleged plot to disorganise PDP was taken.”
He accused the opposition of sponsoring lies against his principal in order to soil his impeccable reputation and soaring popularity.
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“It is instructive that after the fidgety opposition failed in their efforts to deceive the people with their vile propaganda that Achonu collected $1 million from Governor Hope Uzodinma to front for him, they have suddenly detoured and heaped the self-destruct occurrences in the PDP on the ‘incoming governor’.”
The statement added that the Labour Party was open to receive anybody into its fold whether from the PDP, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and other political parties “that rightly see Achonu as the next occupant of Douglas House.
“The PDP and other opposition parties should look inwards and deal with their crisis without looking for scapegoats.
“No amount of blackmail or evil propganda can stop the Labour Party and its candidate, Senator Achonu, and his deputy, Hon. Tony Nwulu, from forging ahead with their unstoppable mission to rescue Imo from its recent misfortunes in the hands of inept and insensitive politicians.”