A former senator, Athan Achonu, who represented Imo North Senatorial District, on Saturday night emerged as the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the 11 November governorship election in Imo.
Declaring the results in Owerri, the Chairman of the Electoral Panel and Abia governor-elect, Alex Otti, said Mr Achonu polled 134 votes.
Mr Otti said Mr Achonu defeated his closest rival, Lincoln Ogunewe, a retired major general, who scored 121 votes.
Martin Agbaso garnered 13 votes, Basil Maduka got one vote, Ibe Ike polled three votes, Sam Amadi received four votes and a retired navy captain, David Mbamara, scored five votes.
Mr Otti added that Kelechi Nwagwu garnered nine votes, Charles Agomuo got one vote while the only female contestant among the 16 aspirants, Ndidi Anike, secured only one vote.
The chairman commended the 296 delegates for their peaceful conduct during the exercise as well as the aspirants for their resilience.
He urged all the aspirants to support the governorship candidate of the party “so that together we can move as a team to win the trophy.”
“All we want is a very strong Labour Party in Imo. Abia state does not want to be an orphan.
“So we plead with you to ensure that a brother governor emerges in the state come Nov. 11,” he stressed.
In his reaction, Mr Achonu thanked the delegates for the confidence reposed in him and the stakeholders for their support.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Achonu is the third governorship candidate who has so far emerged from the various political party primaries conducted in the state.
He will be contesting the 11 November governorship election alongside Governor Hope Uzodimma of the APC and Samuel Anyanwu of the PDP. (NAN)
