The Labour Party governorship candidate for Imo State, Athan Achonu, has stated that his governorship ambition was due to his readiness to serve the people, adding that the incumbent governor, Hope Uzodimma, can’t buy him “even with $100 million.”
The LP member’s comments are not unrelated to the forthcoming November 11 governorship election.
Achonu made this known on Friday when he appeared on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme,
He played down talks that he could be easily bought while being labelled a placeholder.
The lawmaker said, “The people of Imo State already know the truth. They are following me. How can I be a placeholder for Hope Uzodimma? Give me $1 million? That’s not possible.
“I have been around in this country. I am very well known. I can say that for myself. So, I have a reputation in this country. I am a man of integrity. Hope Uzodimma can’t buy me even with $100 million. It is not possible. Nobody can buy me. Money can’t buy me.”
He said the people of the state would have nowhere to go if he abandoned them.
The LP governorship candidate added that the Igbos have been chased out of their lands, noting that he hopes to bring back the Igbos to doing business in the South-east despite the hindrances that have been placed in their paths.
“So, they said if I abandon them, they would not have any place to go. That’s why I really went into that race. I didn’t want to run for governor.
“Igbos have been chased out of Igbo land. It is like an occupied territory. So, every half a kilometre, you see a Police checkpoint, you see a Customs checkpoint. So, people cannot trade freely,” he added.
“So, I now started something called Akwu Ruo Ulo (Let the wealth reach home) asking Igbos to come home and invest in spite of all the obstacles placed on their path that eventually good leadership will emerge and we would dismantle those obstacles. So, that’s why I now came.”
