The Imo State governorship election is two weeks away yet it appears none of the 60 governorship candidates have taken the lead over the other to win the polls. About seven candidates are looking good to brace the tape of victory. In other words it is a seven horse race after many political analysts had zeroed on four candidates to win the election.
In 2011 and 2015 elections, it was a clear battle between candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP amd the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA.
In 2015, it became a straight battle between the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressive Congress, APC which had surfaced on the political stage.
In 2019, it is a different ball game. About seven political parties have candidates who are pushing so strong to win the governorship contest. They are candidates of the Action Alliance, AA, All Progressive Congress, APC, All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, United Progressive Party, UPP, Social Democratic Party, SDP and Accord Party
President Muhamamdu Buhari who understood the intricate and changing political dynamics in the State as it relates to the governorship election was forced to advise Imo voters to vote for candidates of their choice across party lines.
Much as the political narratives may be tilting in favour of candidates of the four political parties, adjudged to be the big parties because of their size, capacity and strength, some candidates namely that of Accord party, United Progressive Party, UPP and Social Democratic Party, SDP are pushing with so much vigour which has elicited so much attention from the voting population.
The outcome of the Presidential election in the State may not necessarily affect or shape the outcome of the governorship polls as the dynamics and undercurrents are not similar. While the results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections may be a boost for political parties of governorship candidates who win the presidential vote, it is not a guarantee the governorship election in the State will go the same way. In other words, whether the PDP or APC wins the presidential polls, it’s no surety that the governorship candidates of both parties will have an easy ride in the guber election.
Political pundits argue that the outcome of the governorship election will be determined by perennial factors most importantly the factor of zoning which has always surfaced during elections in the State.
In the upcoming polls, a lot of considerations are now involved including a burning desire to have the best that would make Imo much more better that it is.
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