The Imo Awareness Coalition, IAC, a political study group,has shortlisted eight governorship candidates as likely winner of the March 2 2019 governorship election in Imo State.
The Group claimed in a statement in Owerri that it anchored it’s assessment based on the “present mood of the electorate, acceptability, perception and popularity of candidates, party structure, likely voting pattern, mood swing of voters
The statement signed by Emmanuel Okwu, President of the Coalition listed the candidates of the All Progressive Congress, APC, the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Action Alliance, AA.
Other candidates it listed include the Young Progressive Party,YPP, the United Progressive Party, UPP, the Social Democratic Party, SDP and Accord Party.
It however made it clear that the real contest is between the candidates of the PDP, APGA, APC and the AA “because of their persistence in the public domain through aggressive and reach out campaigns, existence of functional party structures, quasi political groups, ability to sway public/Voter support and active media engagement”
It however noted that no clear winner will emerge at the first ballot on the day of the polls based
“We foresee either a run off or asupplementary election. Mood swing of the electorate will count after the first voting and this will be a huge determinant factor on who eventually wins the vote on March 2nd
It further stated that the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the State will not affect the results of the governorship election “as the outcome of the two elections will not be influenced by the same factors.
” In 2011 elections which ushered in Rochas Okorocha as governor, there was mood swing on the part of the electorate which favoured the latter rather than the then incumbent, Ikedi Ohakim who was seeking for re election.
“None of the candidates at the moment have earned a good percentage of the support of the electorate barely three months to the governorship election in Imo State.
“The last three governorship elections in the State were not influenced or determined by the same political dynamics and factors. 2019 guber polls in Imo State will not be an exception”
The IAC noted that it is conducting an assessment/grassroot study/research at the grassroots to obtain the perception of the candidates by the voters.
It promised to release a report before the elections after conducting its research across the 27 LGAs which will considerably reveal who may win the next governorship election