Athan Achonu, Labour Party’s governorship candidate in Imo, has called on the electorate to remove all doubts and work for his victory, promising to improve the state’s economy.

Mr Achonu, who made the call while addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja, was reacting to the Supreme Court’s judgment on who the true Labour Party’s candidate was for the Imo governorship election.

The Supreme Court had dismissed an appeal brought before it by Basil Maduka against the Labour Party over its candidate in the Imo governorship election on the grounds of locus standi.

A panel of five justices led by Justice Iyang Okoro also rebuked the appellant for abusing the court process and wasting the courts’ time all through from the lower courts.

Two other respondents were the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Lamidi Apapa-led candidate, Joseph Ukaegbu, alias Ikenga, whose request to seek a consequential order was also rejected by the Supreme Court.

“With this, I want to call on the people of Imo to remove all doubt and work for our success. I have been concentrating on my campaigns because the people of Imo want change,” said Mr Achonu. “Thank God for the Supreme Court. I urge residents of Imo to come out in their numbers to campaign.”

Mr Achonu promised to run a government of the people by the people and for the people when elected, and that would be an example for the rest of Nigeria to follow.

Also reacting, the Labour Party’s national legal adviser, Kehinde Edun, said all the cases filed by the Apapa-led faction had been struck out.

Mr Edun said Mr Achonu’s candidature was never in doubt because there was no order against him, nor was there any order compelling INEC to remove his name.

The justices of the apex court on Thursday ruled that Mr Achonu won the legally conducted primary by the lawful leadership of the party under Julius Abure and witnessed by the INEC. 

(NAN)