As gladiators compete for the tickets of different political parties, the upcoming governorship election in Imo State in 2023 is raising tension and worry in the state’s political landscape.
Current Governor Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Senator Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the only two candidates who have already come out.
Uzodimma is a native of the Imo West senatorial district, which also gave birth to Achike Udenwa and Rochas Okorocha as governors.
On the APC platform, he is the sole candidate. Senator Anyanwu, on the other hand, hails from the Imo East senatorial district. Anyanwu won the PDP’s governorship primary in the middle of the week.
Ihedioha emailed the PDP National Chairman last week to inform the party of his decision to withdraw from the governor’s race.
He mentioned the party’s injustice and unfairness as his justifications. Ihedioha’s action made it possible for Senator Anyanwu, the PDP’s current national secretary, to win the party’s primary for governor of Imo.
A heated contest for the LP ticket There is now a fierce competition for Labour Party (LP) tickets. According to media accounts, the wave of Mr. Peter Obi’s movement, also known as Obidient, the LP Presidential Candidate, was the cause of what seemed to be political unrest. The ability of the LP to create a governorship candidate who can defeat Uzodimma’s bid for a second term is being questioned by many political observers.
There are now 12 candidates vying for Uzodimma’s governorship. The number would have been 13 if Chief Humphrey Anumudu hadn’t passed away.
Those who want Uzodimma’s chair There are 12 candidates running on the LP platform, with one from the Imo West senatorial zone, where the incumbent Uzodimma is from, three from the Imo North senatorial zone, eight from the Imo East senatorial zone, and three from the Imo North senatorial zone.
These individuals are: Senator Athan Achonu (Imo North), Charles Onyirimba (Imo North), Ike Ibe (Imo North), Martin Agbaso (Imo East), Chief Joseph Ukaegbu (Imo East), Kelechi Nwagwu (Imo East), Dr. Basil Maduka (Imo East), Engr Chinedu Amadi (Imo East), ret. AIG Charles Agomuo (I
Aspirants for APGA are still lacking. The All Progressives Grand Alliance, or APGA, had not yet announced any candidates for governor at the time this story was filed.
A blazing national dispute over the party leadership between Chiefs Edozie Njoku and Victor Oye has also been blamed for the result of the 2019 governorship primary elections.
Senator Ifeanyi Ararume was a contender in the 2019 APGA governorship primary in Imo, which was reportedly characterised by unfairness, vote-rigging, and intimidation.
Senatorial district of Imo North is where Ararume comes from.
Only three parties—the APC, PDP, and LP—are currently contesting the November governor of Imo election.
