By Chris Onuoha

Concerned Imo Influencers have once again reiterated its unflinching support to the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the November election in Imo State, Senator Athan Nneji Achonu.

The group made this statement at the heels of many conflicting news about the state and manner Ndi-Igbo are hounded in many spheres in Nigeria affairs.

Coordinator, Concerned Imo Influencers, Amb. Theo Chibueze made the statement in a release to the press, announcing that the group’s support for Achonu is based on his antecedents, but mostly, on his “Aku Ruo Ulo” philosophy.

He said, “Out of many candidates jostling to rule Imo State again, the only credible candidate the group is supporting is Senator Athan Nneji Achonu, after what I may call a disastrous rulership by the current governor.

“Achonu has shown an unequivocal matchless credentials; from his investments in Imo State and beyond, consistency in quest to serve his people selflessly and most importantly, the new drive he has initiated, called the Aku Ruo Ulo’ ideology.

“He has also shown resilience and persistence in challenging all Imolites to bring their investment back to Igbo land. This clarion call, according to our Principal, Achonu, stems from numerous derogatory comments on Ndi-Igbo, asking them to go back home,” Chibueze said.

Continuing, the group leader said that many people have at many occasion, told Igbo people to leave their land.

“At one point, a monarch in Lagos has asked Igbo to leave Lagos or be forced to be pushed to the sea. Also, a popular motor park coordinator in Lagos has allegedly threatened non indigenes, Igbo precisely to leave Lagos if they will not vote his choice candidate during the last general election. The recent comment making the rounds is the issue of revoking of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) by the Lagos State authority. This audacity is seen as a target to dispossess majorly, Ndi-Igbo of their landed properties in Lagos,” Chibueze said.

He express his displeasure at how, many Igbo governors are treating those uncomely aspersion on Igbo citizens with levity.

“With all that is happening to Igbo traders, businessmen including professionals, no candidate in Imo State vying for the governorship position had ever thought of devising means to lure Igbo indigenes to invest and develop Igbo land to an enviable commercial hub.

Senator Achonu who had initiated the Aku Ruo Ulo mandate will pull massive interest towards himself and the Labour Party. Concerned Imo Influencers as a pressure group is not relenting in re-educating the mind of Igbo including those in diaspora to think home first,” he added.

Chibueze urged the Imo citizens both at home and outside Imo State to see the next election as a means to change the narrative.

He bemoans the security situation in Imo as an omen to investment and peaceful existence of the citizens, while calling on all Imolites to vote Senator Achonu for fresh start and renewal of Imo hope from hopelessness.

“The only candidate that has the urge to rescue Imo State from insecurity, bad governance and people oriented agenda is Sen Nneji Achonu. His passion to salvage the sad situation is his driving force, meant to cleanse the Douglas House, Owerri from pollution. He has the full support of the Concerned Imo Influencers and all the Imolites who are saddened by spate of killings which is still going on till date,” he added.

Meanwhile, according to a news report, a fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Architects, Reverend Benson Ezem, has urged the Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, to rescind from fueling the polity with divisive statements, but rather, be a bridge for a formidable detribalized Lagos.

This comes as the Lagos House Speaker was quoted in his acceptance speech as a third-term speaker of the Lagos Parliament last Tuesday, saying, “There will be laws… in the areas of economy and commerce, properties, and tittles, and we will reverse all that is reversible.”

Reacting to his statement, Ezem said that such a move would further bring disunity to our country, that on the need to pass a new property and business ownership law in the State, such titles are globally irreversible.

He added that “Constitutionally, there’s nowhere Nigerians cannot reside in the whole 36 states, and that; “If Nigerians don’t have confidence investing here, there’s no way foreigners will invest here. So what you are saying is that Lagos is not safe for investment.”