Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, former governor of Imo State, says the originator of a circulating tape saying that he convened a meeting where Labour Party gubernatorial candidate Senator Attan Achonu was bought with $1m to not “seriously” fight incumbent Gov. Hope Uzodinma’s re-election is “criminally defamatory.”
Ohakim responded on Twitter. He added that the defamer was “known” and would be arrested immediately.
Dr. Ohakim tweeted, “My attention has been attracted to a viral recording indicating that HE, Gov. Hope Uzodimma, utilised me as a conduit to disburse $1 million to Sen. Athan Achonu, the LP gubernatorial contender.”
“This tape is untrue and criminally libellous.” “I’m taking immediate actions to bring the recognised author to book.”
The voice said on the tape that he was with Senator Achonu when he sought Dr. Ohakim’s meeting location.
The Igbo voice added, “Attan phoned Ohakim and asked where the meeting would be, and Ohakim responded that it was in his house.” Ohakim requested that Attan get someone to take him home. I took Attan to Ohakim.
“When I came to Ohakim’s place, I believed it was a fraternal meeting between him and Ohakim.” I saw Ilomanya, Ojindu, Osita Nwaneri, Ambrose Ejiogu, and Maxwell Duru as I arrived.
I wondered if Achonu is Labour. Why was he at the APC elders’ council meeting? Labour‘s organising secretary was there. “When Achonu attended the meeting, we spoke in the car on the way back.”
The man calling said the LP candidate eventually joined them with an APC stalwart. The APC chieftain confided to the claimant that Achonu was summoned to the meeting to be persuaded not to oppose Gov. Uzodinma’s re-election.
The stalwart said, “The APC elders’ council invited Achonu so that he wouldn’t run against Hope.”
The voice said that following the LP gubernatorial primary, Achonu told him he signed a bond not to run against Gov. Uzodinma and “received $1 million from them under oath” from the APC leaders.
According to the source, the LP candidate “had no money of late but was flinging money about during the primary for LP in the state.”
