Senator Athan Nneji Achonu, an ex lawmaker who represented Okigwe Zone at the Senate, is the candidate of the Labour Party in the November 11 governorship election. In this interview with EMEKA NZE, he debunks the speculation of being a placeholder for Governor Hope Uzodinma and also outlined some of the area he wishes to concentrate attention if elected.
If I’m a journalist and they say somebody is a placeholder for the governor, it is my job to investigate the veracity of that claim. If Labour Party is said to be the party to beat in Imo and Igboland for this election, especially in Imo, and I do a poll to try to guage the feelings of the electorate to see where they are leaning towards, honestly I will expect a Labour governorship candidate who wins the primary of his party to at least collect twenty million dollars to sell out to Hope Uzodinma, not one million dollars. It’s an insult I will expect that Hope Uzodinma will offer that candidate at least Twenty million dollars to step down for him because the man has almost won the election, without campaigning. Because even in the last election, where did you see the candidate they won in the actual voting? Then, myself, Athan Nneji Achonu, you investigate me, you find out my capacity, the level of contact I have in this country, which is more than his. The level of respect that I am accorded in this country, because of my integrity and my personality, which he doesn’t have, how can I then collect only one million dollars to sell out as claimed ? It’s 100 million dollars. If I’m that hungry now, if I’ve suddenly become hungry to be his placeholder, at least I should demand $100 million for God’s sake.
