PREAMBLE
He is running for the office of the Governor, Imo State on the platform of the Labour Party. This business mogul is very visible in the socio political life of the state nay Nigeria.

Beneath this imposing personality is human meekness and empathy for the down trodden. When you meet with him, you will be struck by his energy and forthrightness. His enthusiasm for the job he is vying reflects his reserve, his confidence and unexploited resources.

This Apostle of Aku Ruo Ulo paradigm is running to win and not a ‘place holder’ for anyone. He marshals out what he would do differently to bring sustainable economic prosperity and security to the state.

This interview is thrilling and explosive. Most sincerely, we welcome you on board.

Question 1 – Let us hear from you Sir. Who is Senator Athanasius Nneji Achonu?

Ans- I don’t know how I to describe myself. I am a Nigerian, an ideas distillery who is very passionate about development, integrity, young entrepreneurs, and nation-building. Some say I‘m a successful businessman. I simply say I thrive on ideas that create solutions. I work hard for my money. I like the good things in life. All the money I have made all my life are a result of struggle, sweat, and dint of hard work.

I had an indescribable childhood. As a child, I was what you can call a whizkid or genius. I don’t know how they described me then because from primary school, I won the East Central State competition for poetry that people from secondary school contested for. I had a poem called ‘The Star: that I wrote, which was selected as best entry.

My father was a headmaster, who became Chairman of the old Mbano Division before the Civil War and then he was one of the first Nigerians, who had the Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) national honour.

I had a wonderful childhood. I was as stubborn, as stubborn could be. I had grey hairs on my eyebrows, as a primary school child. My mother said it was a sign of the devil because I was very troublesome, but within me I knew it was a sign of greatness. I had a feeling inside me that God destined me to do great things that will impact the larger society positively. And the turn of events over the years proved me correct.

Though I have been through thick and thin in this my life, ups and downs, somehow I see myself being guided by the hand of God towards fulfilling the destiny He has ordained for me. I see myself as a product of God’s grace, geared to fulfill His very purpose. This indeed explains why I am in this governorship race. I’m in it to fulfill a divine mandate.

Question 2–Distinguished Senator, you are also known as the One Hand General. How did you come about that name?

Ans- I lost my right arm during the Nigeria/Biafra Civil War. I volunteered as a small boy. I was one of the first persons to volunteer into the Civil Defence during the Civil War. Though very young, I was restless and very adventurous. My peers and seniors looked up to me.

Towards the end of the Nigeria Civil War, (after the Imo River was blown up) we were back in the village, and my adjutant unknowingly picked up a grenade. Immediately, our commander shouted, I rushed, took the grenade from him to fling it away, it exploded. I lost my arm, my adjutant got blinded while the officer in charge lost his life.

So as you see me here, I’m a relic of the Civil War. That’s why I laugh when young people talk of war today. It did not solve our problem neither can it solve it today. There are better ways of sorting out these issues. Dialogue and gainful engagement or empowerment of the youths stand tall. These are some of the aces I will bring to the table of governance.

Question 3– You have and are still making your marks in the business world as well as in politics. What is your driving principle?

Ans- I love humanity and I love transforming lives and situations. I see politics as a platform to service the people and by that bring sustainable development that will benefit the people.

Question 4– Your are running on the wings of the Labour Party. What informed your choice of the party?

Answer- I have been a supporter of the Labour movement in Nigeria including NLC and it’s affiliates. I have also given lasting support to NANS and National Youth Council of Nigeria for many years. I have been involved in their struggle for youth development in Nigeria. It is interesting to mention that I am a patron of both organizations. Many people are not aware of my many positive contributions to labour and human rights movement in Nigeria.

For many reasons, I lost interest in the politics of this country, but immediately Peter Obi joined Labour Party, I was very happy to identify with it. I had renewed interest in both politics and the party itself.

I see Labour Party under the able leadership of Peter Obi, with his track records, as the only party that offers something refreshingly different for Imo State and Nigerians in general. The party has a workable programme of how to switch Nigeria from a consumptive to a productive economy; of how to engage our youths gainfully thereby reducing unemployment and crime reasonably. This is what I stand for and since Labour Party offers me the platform to realise this I choose to go in their ticket.

Question 5- Not do long ago, you unveiled Hon. Tony Nwulu of ‘Not too young to run’ fame as your running mate. Do you think this will add value to your ticket?

Answer
Tony is an accomplished person. He was instrumental to the “not too young to run act” having sponsored the bill in the National Assembly. That act is the reason we have young people below the ages of 30 in elected positions today.

He is intelligent and has progressive ideas. He is part of the new generation of Nigerians who are ready to take over the baton and run the race of successfully moving our State, and indeed Nigeria, forward to where it should be.

I believe in youth inclusivity and that is part of my Manifesto. So, the youths should be dedicated to rescuing their country; to challenge those in authority; to speak truth to power; this is their country. They must fight and take the state and the country back.

That is why I brought Tony Nwulu into this ticket so that there will be a blend. A marriage that the youths will show the young ones that there is a future for them in Imo State, especially, and from here spread country-wide.

There is no doubt that choosing him as running mate will add a lot of value to our joint ticket.

Question 6- Ikemba, Nowadays, Ndi Imo refer to you as the Apostle of, AKU RUO ULO. Can you tell us more on this? And how your policies as a government will be enablers for the program to be embraced by Imolites and South Easterners as a region.

Ans- For over 15 years, I have championed the sustainable development of Igbo Land through my Aku Ruo Ulo initiative. Very early I noticed the myriad of challenges confrontating the South East including lackluster leadership, underdevelopment, poor investment into critical sectors, insecurity, infrastructure deficit, unemployment among others.

Any visionary that can initiate ideas to solve these will turn South East into Dubai. My vision is to see Imo turned around. To help solve these challenges, I anchored the Aku Ruo Ulo movement on 7 Key Focal Areas- Security, Infrastructure, Education, Agriculture/Tourism, Manufacturing, Employment, and Excellence in Leadership.

I also led from the front. The farm I have in my village encapsulates my Aku Ruo Ulo vision. I turned a virgin forest with no access road, very steep, dangerous hill, and undulating topography into a morden agricultural farmland (Artificial River with capacity of 1 million Fish per month; Morden Hatchery; Snailery; Green Houses; Laboratory; etc) now sorrounded by scenic landscape. My farm also has a cattle stockade with capacity for 5000 cattles.

With professional inputs from my engineers we designed and created Numo Farm from scratch- a sprawling massive agricultural/tourism business with huge capacity to employ 2000 youths.

As part of host community development, I have built and fully tarred 2.3km access road with one bridge, one box culvert and double sided drainages. We have also started another 6.7km road with 2 bridges (one already built) and 5 box culverts. In total we have completed the 2.3km road, two bridges and 4 box culverts. Work has commenced on the longer road.

This is evident that as an ideas distillery, I can create something from nothing. God has endowed me with the gift to make things to blossom. That is what I intend to do as the Governor.

It is also important to mention that long ago, I began investing in world class hospitality, convention centre, and tourism projects in the state. I acquired the old Progress Bank building to turn it into a 5 Star Hotel. Since I own sixty percent shares of the old Imo Hotels (the adjoining property), I planned to build an international mall that would attract shoppers from different parts of the country, just like Dubai.

Unfortunately, the government frustrated all these. Former Governor Rochas Okorocha put a stop to the completion of the hotel project. He built the Imo International Conference Centre (IICC) on a property I own 60% shares. Today, where is IICC?

Despite the court order that Imo State government should return my property (60 % shares of Old Imo Hotels); pay me one hundred million naira, as well as refund me 60% of all proceeds from that property, Senator Hope Uzodimma has refused to obey court order. Yet, Senator Hope is a product of Court order.

The political leadership in the state has continued to frustrate Aku Ruo Ulo by not creating the enabling environment and level playing ground for citizens and investors to come in and invest so as to create employments and develop the state. Many of our people in diaspora who have tried to invest at home have traveled back with bleeding nostrils. This has to stop.

Primarily, as the governor of Imo State, I will work towards enhancing the ease of doing business to ensure that Imo becomes a haven for business and investors in alignment with my Aku ru ulo initiative. I will create a level playing ground for willing investors to come home and invest. Needed infrastructure will be put in place, especially power. Policies and legal frameworks to encourage Imolites to invest at home will be expedited.

I will also leverage on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to bring all round development to our state and it’s citizens.

So, I believe Igbos should come home and invest and that’s the only way our people can gain quality employment and sustainable prosperity.

QUESTION 7 Distinguished Senator Sir, Imo Elders are saying that henceforth ” IMO CHARTER OF EQUITY’ which ensures that the governorship rotates among the three senatorial zone is obyed . Do you buy into this line of thought? And if so, which zone takes the slot going forward?

ANSWER
Regarding the Imo Charter of equity amongst the three senatorial zones of the state. We started well with it in 1999. The formulators believed, and fairly so, that it was Orlu’s zone to produce the governor then, hence Achike Udenwa was projected and he won and completed his two terms after eight years. Then Okigwe was programmed next, which brought in Ikedi Ohakim. This is where the trouble started. There was a conspiracy and wicked propaganda which prevented him from completing Okigwe’s second term. This unfair conspiracy brought back an Orlu man, Rochas Okorocha, who was in the saddle for eight years. We have been screaming that for equity to be restored, Okigwe should be allowed to complete its term, thereafter it will move to Owerri.

However, the Supreme Court contraption brought back another Orlu man, Senator Hope Uzodinma, who has been in the saddle for nearly four years now. In summary, since 1999, Orlu Zone has ruled the state for nearly 20 years, Okigwe, four years and Owerri six months. We are now saying, for equity to return, let Okigwe, which I represent now, complete its turn and after Owerri gets it. Every zone needs to be allowed a fair share of rulership for us to move forward.

QUESTION 8- You have been saying that if elected, you will conduct the much awaited Local Government Election which is going to be free and fair . And will ensure it’s autonomy. Can Imolites take this to the bank?

ANSWER
Yes, I will conduct the freest and fairest ever local government elections within six months of assuming office as governor. I believe very strongly in Local Government autonomy because I see it as the path way to solving the security challenges in the state and also to driving infrastructural and economic development to the hinterland.

I will implement full Local Government Autonomy upon assumption of office.

If you Google me and see all the interviews I’ve granted, I have maintained that it was since the governors started taking the money belonging to the local government and pocketing it that insecurity started. Let me ask you a question; If you have a councillor, a democratically elected councillor from a ward, he would know everybody living in that ward. He would know who the criminals are. So, that’s why you have democracy. It goes to the grassroots; real democracy goes to the grassroots. So, to bring peace, you have to have autonomy of local government, democratically elected local government chairmen and councillors.

As a governor, I would not tamper with Local government money, but I would create a bureau to supervise contract awards in local governments. We would pass a law; they would be autonomous; the only intervention would be to monitor what they are doing. We would keep the eye of the state on them. They would be the eyes of the people and clergy would be members of that committee; the clergy and traditional rulers would be present in that committee so that they would see what every Local Government Chairman is doing, whether he is doing the wish of the people or not. That is the extent of my involvement in local government affairs

QUESTION 9 – Ndi Imo in diaspora holds the ace in terms of the socio economic development of the state. What would you do if elected to harness this and make it more sustainable? Are you going to create a ministry for this?

ANSWER- Come November 11, my administration will assiduously pursue the transformation of Owerri into a world-class events and conference hub, to harness its excellent hospitality environment. In addition to that we have plans to open up and industrialize the 3 Senatorial zones into major economic hubs, hence we will take full advantage of the exceptional skills, professionalism, experience and knowledge base of our people in the diaspora.

We will definitely need the support of Ndi Imo in Diaspora to effectively harness the potentials of our mother land. This is my pledge and a major reason why my administration will build trust within the polity in order to end insecurity. Permit me to re-assure Imolites in Diaspora, that soon they will be in their home land again to share in the joy of Christmas.

This interview was first published in August, 2023 by IMO STATE AT 47 MAGAZINE.