The Labour Party’s governorship candidate for the upcoming November 11 election in Imo State, Senator Athan Achonu, has called for peace and unity within the party amid rumors of leadership changes. Achonu refuted claims that the party’s state chairman, Barrister Callistus Ihejiagwa, had been removed from his position following a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Abia State, clarifying that no congress had been held to effect such changes.
In a statement issued by the Director-General of the Athan Achonu Campaign Organisation, Engr. Chime Nzeribe, Achonu emphasized that no discussions regarding leadership changes took place at the stakeholders’ meeting. He reaffirmed that until a congress is held, Barrister Callistus Ihejiagwa remains the legally recognized State Chairman of the Labour Party in Imo State.
Achonu called on party members to remain focused on unity, stating, “While the National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, continues his legal battles, I am hopeful for a peaceful resolution to all disputes. Our priority is to strengthen the party, not divide it. Barrister Abure, as a key stakeholder, must work with the Labour Party to ensure we emerge stronger and more united. No individual is greater than the Labour Party.”
Addressing internal and external challenges facing the party in Imo State, Achonu emphasized that such challenges are common in politics and should be resolved through peaceful means. He invoked an Igbo proverb, saying, “It is only a dead man whose neck cannot be adjusted,” stressing the importance of accommodating alternative perspectives and striving for unity.
Achonu warned against any attempts to destabilize the Labour Party, urging members to support Callistus Ihejiagwa’s leadership until changes are made through proper democratic processes. He added, “For the Achonu campaign, the Abure-led national executive is like the shell of the body, while the stakeholders represent the soul—neither can exist without the other. The Labour Party must come together to achieve the Nigeria of our dreams.”
He concluded by calling on party members to focus on the ultimate goal of delivering positive change to the people of Imo State and Nigeria as a whole.
