The Imo State Labour Party faction led by Chief Ikechukwu Ukaegbu, the flag bearer for the November 11 gubernatorial election for the party on Tuesday, 22nd August, 2023 took to the streets to demonstrate their rejection of Mr. Peter Obi’s support for the other factional flag bearer of the party Sen. Athan Achonu.
The party faithful numbering over two thousand marched along IMSU gate to Okigwe Road junction roundabout carrying placards with inscriptions such as Peter Obi stop deceiving Ndi Igbo, Athan Achonu is not a member of Labour Party, etc, vented their anger against the present state of affairs in the party.
Fielding questions from Journalists during the protest, the spokesman Mr Esdick Nwadike, the PRO of the Labour party for Owerri Municipal council, said the protest march was to show the displeasure and rejection of Mr. Peter Obi, the party’s Presidential candidate support for Senator Athan Achonu as guber candidate, whereas the recognized authentic gubernatorial candidate of the party as declared by the courts is Chief Ikechukwu Ukaegbu.
Nwadike said: “Enough is enough, we can’t be deceiving ourselves, playing dirty politics.
“The two candidates, Achonu and Ukaegbu went to court and the court declared Ukaegbu as the real Governorship Candidate of the Labour party. Why is Peter Obi backing Achonu when court has declared Ukaegbu the authentic candidate.? Why is Obi deceiving us?”
Alleging many accusations against Mr Obi, the LP faction in favour of Ikechukwu Ukaegbu ordered Peter Obi to stop deceiving Imo Labour party, warning “tell Peter Obi to relax.”