Amidst the aftermath of Saturday’s governorship election in Imo State, Senator Athan Achonu, the Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), vehemently rejected the election results and declared his intention to seek legal redress. Speaking to the press on Sunday from his Umulomo country home in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area, Achonu alleged widespread irregularities, including vote buying, assaults on LP agents, and called for the outright cancellation of the election.
Achonu contended that the electoral process was marred by significant irregularities, citing instances of voting without BVAS accreditation, contrary to INEC’s pre-election assurances. He further accused security personnel of compromise, pointing to documented evidence, such as a police officer allegedly assaulted by voters while attempting to snatch a ballot box.
Commending LP supporters for their resilience amid provocation, Achonu assured them of justice through legal channels. Expressing dissatisfaction with the conduct of the election, he proclaimed, “Our democracy was raped in the full glare of security personnel, whose salaries we pay from our commonwealth.”
Achonu detailed instances of alleged malpractice, including the sudden relocation of collation centers from wards to local government (LG) centers, with only APC agents granted access while agents from other parties were reportedly locked out.
Addressing his supporters, he expressed gratitude for their determination, stating, “I have not lost hope in the judiciary, there are so many men of integrity therein, and we shall reclaim our mandate.”
Condemning the assault and detention of the LP Chairman in Imo, Callistus Ihejiagwa, at the state collation center, Achonu called for the immediate arrest of those involved. He urged INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to cancel the purported results, asserting, “There was no election yesterday.”
