Athan Achonu, a former senator has won the Labour Party (LP) governorship ticket in Imo state.

Achonu won at the governorship election primary held in Owerri, the capital of Imo on Saturday.

Calistus Ihejiagwa, the returning officer, announced that Achonu scored 134 votes to beat his closest rival Jack Ogunewe, a retired major general, who scored 121 votes.

“Athan Achonu, having certified the requirements by polling the highest number of votes in the primary exercise, is hereby returned as the Imo governorship of the Labour Party,” Ihejiagwa said.

In 2015, Achonu was elected into the senate to represent Imo north on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

However, he was sacked by the appeal court in December 2015. Benjamin Uwajumogu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was then declared the winner of the polls.

The LP candidate will contest against Hope Uzodinma, the incumbent, who is also the candidate of the APC, and Samuel Anyanwu of the PDP in the November 11 Imo governorship election.