Imo Guber Poll: LP’s Achonu congratulated Uzodimma? - Candidate speaks

Athan Nneji Achonu, the Labour Party (LP) candidate in the Saturday, November 11 governorship poll in Imo state, has debunked the reports doing the rounds that he had visited and congratulated the winner of the election, Hope Uzodimma.

Achonu described the congratulatory story as “childish and very poorly written", The Punch reported.

The statement from Achonu's camp reads in part:

“For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Achonu had since categorically rejected the result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and called for its review and cancellation.

“He (Achonu) had also held a joint press briefing with Samuel Anyanwu, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, and insisted that the result of the governorship election must be reviewed or cancelled, warning that unless the INEC did so, the people might revolt.”

Legit.ng recalls that Uzodimma polled 540,308 votes to defeat the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Samuel Anyanwu, who polled 71,503 votes and LP's Achonu, who came third with 64,081 votes.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Achonu rejected the outcome of Saturday's election, announcing his intention to pursue legal action.

Speaking to the press at his residence in Umulomo, Ehime Mbano local government area (LGA), Achonu claimed that the election was marred by irregularities, including vote buying and physical attacks on LP agents, warranting its cancellation.