Abuja, Nigeria – Senator Athan Achonu, the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party in Imo State, has asserted that the legal case against his candidacy was instigated by his critics and political opponents in a deliberate effort to tarnish his image and discourage potential voters.
Achonu, who seeks to become the first physically-challenged governor in the state, made these allegations shortly after the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal against his candidacy ahead of the November 11 Imo governorship election. The Supreme Court ruled that the appellant lacked the legal standing to bring the case.
The panel of five justices, led by Justice Iyang Okoro, also cautioned the appellant for abusing the court process and wasting the court’s time throughout the legal proceedings.
In response to the judgment, Achonu characterized the legal battle as a form of psychological warfare aimed at portraying his candidacy as controversial in the eyes of Imo voters.
He stated, “The Imo people are bent on removing the incumbent APC government in the state because of the atrocities being committed. It (my Supreme Court case) was a psychological warfare. The whole idea was to make the people of Imo believe there was a problem with my candidature and, by that, concluded that if they vote for Achonu, it will become a wasted effort.”
He urged the people of Imo State to come out in large numbers to support his campaign and work toward a change in leadership. He expressed his concern about the state’s current situation and called for unity among the electorate.
Achonu also addressed the spread of fake news on social media regarding his legal cases and emphasized that he had been focused on his campaign.
In a related development, counsel to the Labour Party, Okwudili Anozie, confirmed that the Supreme Court’s judgment in favor of Achonu also legitimized Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party. He asserted that the Supreme Court’s decision had put an end to the efforts of Achonu’s opponents to challenge his candidacy and the legitimacy of the party’s leadership.