The Labour Party (LP) in Imo has inaugurated a 481-member campaign council to strategise and sparehead its campaign for the November 11 governorship poll.
Performing the ceremony in Owerri, its state Chairman, Mr Callistus Ihejiagwa, urged the members not to joke about the “fierce urgency” to rescue the state.
“You have become the torch bearer for LP, our candidate, Sen. Athan Achonu and Peter Obi in all the nook and crannies of your localities.
“This is a call to duty, service and selfless sacrifice for the good of Imo,” Ihejiagwa said.
He further urged the council to carry out the responsibility with pride, dignity and selflessness, “knowing that God has anointed you to liberate Imo.
“If we disappoint the people, they will not forgive us. Our children will not forgive us,” he also said.
He said the insecurity in the state had forced many to hold traditional events outside the state for fear of possible attacks back home.
“They say LP has no big vehicles and have no structure, but those with big cars and structures are the people with the structure of corruption which Peter Obi has come to eradicate.
“They are the ones who have fed so fat on the common treasury of the state and Nigeria.
“We are hungry for a new Imo and Nigeria.
“A new Imo and Nigeria are possible and attainable,” the state chairman said.
He called for commitment, peace, fairness, openness and unity among members of the council and officers of the party to achieve success and ensure victory at the poll.
In a remark, the Director-General of the council, Mr Chime Nzeribe, described the upcoming election as a struggle to “emancipate Igboland, not only Imo.”
Nzeribe appealed to the council to take their polling booths seriously and ensure that every vote for the party’s candidate counts.
“Go back home and work hard.
“The reason Obi has problem today is that the party’s mobilisation in the booths was not fantastic and our results were not well guarded.
“This is something we must work out to ensure that our results are well guarded,” he said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion and former Commissioner for Finance in Imo, Mr Nicholas Ndudu, said the change which Nigerians desired would only come from LP.
“I want to assure you that regardless of what happened in the country in the past couple of days about the presidential election tribunal judgment, LP is still the party of the future.
“What LP is doing today is to inaugurate the campaign council that will activate our reach to the grassroots and ensure we translate that reach and resources into an opportunity for success.
“The people that have been chosen are truly in a position to lead us to victory,” he said.
In an acceptance speech, the Chairman of the council and member representing Owerri Federal Constituency, Mr Tochukwu Okere, pledged to secure victory for Achonu and the party.
Okere charged the campaign members to unite and be ready to run an aggressive campaign for the governorship candidate and party.
“Do not be intimidated, this is our state.
“Bring out your mind to ensure victory in all the polling booths, wards and the state in general,” he said.
NAN
