·Says Vote Buying, A Major Factor, Which Would Rear Its Ugly Ahead At Polls.
Imo Awareness Coalition, a socio political organization, has claimed that its recent survey, on voting pattern in Imo State, clearly shows that the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, remain front-line political parties, whose candidates will secure victory in the 2023 general elections in the State.
The Coalition, in a statement in Owerri, signed by its spokesman, Fidelis Echendu, said based on it’s survey, candidates of the APC and the PDP, in the three geo political zones of the state, vying for Senate, House of Reps and State Assembly elections, are likely to be voted for and win the polls, than candidates of the Labour party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
The Coalition noted that its survey conducted in nine local governments of the state, using three LGAs per zone, indicate that the APC and the PDP, “remain the most structured political parties across Imo state, with visible political foot- soldiers, grounded and rooted in the hinterlands, and are in mix with the voting population”
The IAC however admitted that “both political parties have suffered massive decline in acceptance, with a dwindling support base, particularly among the youth population in urban and semi urban settlements, who have openly and strongly aligned with the aspiration of Peter Obi, the Labour Party, LP Presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential vote”
“The APC in Imo State has remained the most chastised, but remains the most formidable, in structure and outlay, while the Labour party has significantly punctured the PDP and cornered from the opposition party, whatever gains it may have harnessed from the poor verdict passed on the governing party by a conservative, but sophisticated voting electorate in Imo State” part of the survey report stated.
The report further stated “However, there are emerging fresh dynamics, as the general elections come close in Imo State.
“Voters have shown an unquenchable appetite in scrutinizing candidates of all the political parties, placing emphasis on the good, bad records or behaviour of such candidates, as a basis to vote or reject them at the 2023 polls.
“This psyche has permeated into the hinterlands who largely remain undecided, four clear months to the general elections and prone to vote buying on election day.
“They depend and rely on the political narratives shaped by the two dominant political parties in the state- the APC and the PDP- whose foot- soldiers are active, visible and influence the political discourse in the local areas.
“Candidates of the APC and the PDP in most parts of the state have continued to remain their electoral options. This is so, because of the absence of strong existing alternatives.
“The Labour party in the state has gathered steam and momentum among a good segment of the youths, mostly in semi urban areas of the State.
“This is been propelled by the support for Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential election, who is most likey to defeat presidential candidates of the APC and PDP, Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, in the state during the presidential election
“Four months to the presidential vote, there is however no connect between the overwhelming support Obi enjoys and the candidates of the Labour party for various elective offices in the state.
“Therefore, votes for Obi, during the presidential election, may not translate to bandwagon voting for other labour party candidates for the Senate, House of Reps and State Assembly elections.
“Vote buying will be a huge and decisive factor in the 2023 polls in Imo State, despite stringent measures put in place to contain it. It is expected that all the three leading political parties- APC, PDP, and Labour, will engage in such practice, as scramble for votes, will not be limited to open campaigns and on the social media.
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