With clear indications that the Emeka Ihedioha backed State executives led by Barr Charles Ezekwem is now on the drivers seat, the party appear to have overcome initial bottlenecks and distractions created by the Ali Modu Sherrif backed Hope Uzodinma faction of the party in Imo State.
With real or imaginary reconciliation in the air in the PDP after the Supreme Court judgement coupled with expected realignment of political forces, the PDP in the State can be said to be poised take on head on, the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC in Imo State.
However, the spark of revival in Imo PDP that has trailed the Supreme Court verdict may not necessarily underscore the possibility that it would just kick the APC in the State out of power in 2019. It is a fact that the APC has been dogged with a huge dose of intra party squabbles which makes it very vulnerable to political uncertainties including a possible electoral defeat in 2019. This is a factor the revived PDP thinks it can take advantage of, to undo it’s arch political rival during the elections.
So many political variables will certainly influence the performance of the two political parties in the 2019 general elections in Imo State because both parties carry huge bags filled with political baggage. How both parties reduce such baggage before the Imo electorate will determine which of them gets the votes of the masses during the polls.
There are many undecisive political permutations that will certainly play out between now and 2019 that will influence the outcome of the polls for the two contending parties. And this is also predicated if a third force does not emerge to change the designs of the APC and PDP in the state.
However it is important to say that exposing each others weaknesses is also a crucial and important factor in the game of politics. If the PDP wallow in the belief that the APC will crumble like a pack of cards without a fierce resistance, then it better wake up from its slumber now.
Governor Rochas Okorocha and his version of APC may have succeeded to put hunger on the faces of poor Imolites in the last six years, but the PDP should also note that the last time it convincingly won the State governorship election was in 1999 – about 18 years ago. This underscores a clear indication that much as it prides itself as the peoples party in the past, it has to go exta mile to win elections in 2019.
The PDP strongest point is it’s “share the money” doctrine which is attractive to a despondent and hungry Imo populace for now, while the APC could also boast that it gave Imo State infrastructural renewal in the last six years.These are strong compelling tools that can swing the choice of the electorate.
The choice of candidates for the two political parties remain crucial determinant factors. If the APC in Imo State fail to get their acts together and allow Okorocha present a candidate whose only qualification is that such a candidate is related to him, then the APC may simply play into the gimmicks of the PDP.
Imo State is a complex political society where the electorate are so sensitive to the dynamics and intrigues of politicians. Only a political party with a clear message and with a candidate who is well schooled in the art of governance and can offer a ray of hope to the people would be the next occupant of Government House, Owerri in 2019.