*BY CHIEDU UZODINMA*
For the first time in the political history of Imo State, never have over 60 governorship aspirants declared their intention to occupy the number one job in the State.This newspaper gathered that several factors are responsible for the increasing rate of aspirants. Some of the reasons range from the sublime to the ridiculous.
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One of the key factors is the perceived under performance of the current administration in the State.
Despite Okorocha’s much trumpeted success in the last six years at the helm of affairs of the State, there is a widespread assumption that he has under performed judging from the level of groaning hunger and level of despondency ravaging the land since he assumed office in 2011.
*OKOROCHA, UCHE NWOSU FACTOR*
Also, plans by the Governor to install his son in law, Uche Nwosu as his successor is another driving factor attracting so many aspirants in the contest.
Mr. Ebere Anosike, a resident in Owerri said most of the governorship aspirants jumped into the contest to stop what they perceive an insult on the collective sensibilities on the people of Imo State.
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“Majority of the aspirants are seeing Okorocha’s plans to have his son in law as his successor as a political experiment that is unacceptable, unthinkable and should never happen in Imo. Most of them are peeved how a father in law should hand over governance of a State of about 6 milliom people to his son in law. This is why we have so many governorship aspirants who feel they are better equipped to run the affairs of the State than Okorocha’s choice” Anosike said
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The level of opprobrium that has trailed Nwosu’s ambition(irrespective of the fact that he is eligible to contest for any elective office) has given most of the aspirants the conviction that the 2019 guber race is anybody’s race and therefore any of the aspirants could be a huge beneficiary of a political renaissance that may likely take place in the State in 2019.
*2007 POLITICAL SCENARIO*
The outcome of the 2007 governorship election which threw up then unknown and less fancied Ikedi Ohakim as Governor of Imo State is also a contributive factor fueling the entrance of many sons and daughters into the governorship contest.
Ohakim became Governor of Imo State like a gatecrasher who benefited from the political logjam that gripped the State after the PDP failed to put its house in order at that time. He was of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA. He became the choice of powers that be because the PDP, then the ruling party was in turmoil in Imo.
This newspaper observed that most of the governorship aspirants are anchoring their political permutations on the grounds Okorocha’s choice will be rejected at the polls and this will provide a window of opportunity for any aspirant, known or unknown, to crawl to the seat of power just like it happened in Ohakim’s case in 2007.
“They foresee a repeat of 2007 in 2019. This is why we have many aspirants who are hopeful that there will be another wave of what occurred in 2007 to happen again in 2019. said Tony Chukwu”, a public opinion analyst.
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*POLITICAL PARTY PERCEPTION*
Some political analysts contend that most of the aspirants are basing their calculations on the grounds that the ongoing crisis in the APC in Imo will lead to an implosion in the party that will make it difficult for the party to retain Government House in 2019.
According to them, the PDP which is the leading opposition party in the State will only be a rallying ground for aggrieved Imolites but will lack the capacity to garner victory having been hit by the monster of defeat in 2015.
Mr. Obioma Eke, a political scientist said “APGA will elicit so much support from the masses but ability to cruise to victory will be a big task. This is why you have over 40 governorship aspirants in the party at the moment who are relying on the party’s solid political foundation not only in Imo State but in Igboland to realize their ambition”
“The PDP looks solid at the moment but its connection to the masses as a veritable alternative is not so clear at the moment
“If the mindset of Imolites remain the same, I foresee voters placing emphasis on the personality and capacity of individual aspirants no matter the party the aspirant comes from.
“Personality of governorship aspirants will come to play when the chips are down in 2019. Any aspirant that magnetizes the electorate, who can muster the political energy to become the focal point of the masses will carry the day.An aspirant that can be like a freedom fighter, a liberator, a rallying point with the power to instigate a kind of revolution will certainly carry the day in the election ” he said.
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*ASPIRANTS UNIFORM LULLABY”
Governor Rochas Okorocha perceived under performance has been magnified by most of the governorship aspirants. It has become their lullaby- a case of criticize the Governor and automatically you will be considered a serious governorship aspirant! This has led to less emphasis on what the aspirants have to offer the people.
At the moment, not up to 10 governorship aspirants have outlined how to better Imo State if they elected aa Governor in 2019.
“It is not enough to criticize the present government and assume to be taken serious as a governorship aspirant. What are they offering that will excite the populace to vote for them at the governorship election” Mr.Eke said
*GUBER BID AS A BUSINESS VENTURE?*
A school of thought contend that political ambition can be a money making venture for some of the aspirants. Since there is no law that limits the funding of campaigns, some of the aspirants especially the unserious ones can use it as a money spinning exercise.
” We have seen aspirants chicken out from the contest when the race gets tougher. Politics has become business and this is why you see some aspirants who juts declare, put up one or two things in place and off they are out of the race” said Mr. Gabriel Anosike.
*UZODINMA Is Editor At Large, innonews.com.ng