BY INNONEWS
The November 11, 2023 Imo governorship election, has set the stage for political gladiators to retool their political plans.
Aside the fact that the contest will be for the most political fittest, there are emerging indications that the race will be dominated mainly by old faces in Imo politics. This has been the political pattern in the state since 1999.
Though analysts contend that new faces will equally join the fray, the old political contenders would always lead the front-line of the contest.
The governorship election in Imo State has been keenly vied for since 1999. The 2023 guber polls will be the first time the governorship election in Imo State, would be held off season election period. This became so, after the Supreme Court had sacked Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as governor of the State, and replaced him with Senator Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
However, barely a year to the contest, nomajor political heavyweight in the state has openly declared his intention to run for Imo governorship, but there are emerging indications of those who want to contest. Many of them are serial governorship aspirants and constitute the bulk of old faces of Imo politics.
Hope Uzodimma
Governor Hope Uzodimma is expected to seek for a second term in office. His body language lately shows that the Governor has no contender for the governorship ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. Analysts however contend that Uzodimma is already thinking of the main election and not necessarily the APC governorship primary.
Emeka Nwajiuba
The former junior Minister of Education and ex-presidential aspirant, has been speculated in the media, to be nursing a governorship ambition next year. The speculations, at the moment, however remain unfounded. Nwajiuba had vied for Imo governorship in the past, but without success.
Since the inception of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2019, he has been adjudged to be in the good books of power brokers of the administration, a fact which contributed to the pivotal role he played to ensure the emergence of his ally, Frank Ibezim, as Senator representing Imo North Senatorial zone.
Emeka Ihedioha.
The former Governor of Imo State has become a serial governorship aspirant, having vied for the governorship in 2015 and 2019. He won the 2019 governorship election, but was removed from office by the Supreme Court seven months after. He was replaced with Senator Hope Uzodimma, of the All Progressives Congress, APC
The former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, would go into a fierce battle for the PDP governorship ticket, with the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu. And if he emerges victorious, he will be making his third attempt to be governor of Imo State.
Samuel Anyanwu
Senator Samuel Anyanwu is the National Secretary of the PDP, and his body language clearly shows that he is interested in vying for Imo governorship in 2023.
Anyanwu has set up campaign structures in the state to drive his governorship aspiration. He is making his second attempt after losing the PDP governorship ticket to Ihedioha in 2019.
Martin Agbaso
Chief Martin Agbaso had vied for Imo governorship in the past without success. The advent of the Labour party and the surging support for Mr. Peter Obi, the LP presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 presidential election, may have reignited his interest in the governorship contest in the state.
Ifeanyi Araraume
Another serial governorship aspirant in the state, Araraume is said to be rolling up his sleeves for another shot at Imo governorship. His son, Ifeanyi Araraume (Jnr), is the candidate of the Labour party for Okigwe Senate . It is unclear how Araraume will go about his ambition in 2023. His political structure has remained intact, and are said to be waiting for further directives.
Uche Nwosu
Uche Nwosu, a son in law of former Governor Rochas Okorocha, had vied for Imo governorship in 2019, on the platform of the Action Alliance, AA, where he put up an impressive performance, placing second, behind the eventual winner of the contest, Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Mrs. Juliet Obasi
Mrs Juliet Obasi, a is a former member of the House of Representatives. She is the first person to publicly announce her governorship ambition on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
