Three senior figures within Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration have emerged as leading contenders to succeed him in 2027, following months of quiet consultations,INNONEWS can exclusively report.
The development comes after this newspaper revealed on Sunday that Governor Uzodimma has kept political allies, associates and party stakeholders guessing over his preferred successor, despite mounting pressure to signal his choice ahead of the off-cycle governorship election scheduled for November 2027.
Findings from in-depth investigations indicate that the three individuals are regarded as die-hard loyalists who have remained steadfast with the governor through turbulent political seasons.
Multiple sources familiar with the inner workings of the Government House disclosed that the trio have “met the dots and ticks” considered critical in emerging as the governor’s anointed candidate. These include political loyalty, administrative competence, grassroots appeal and acceptability within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
One highly placed source, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly on the matter, said the governor’s strategy is deliberate and calculated. “The governor knows what he is doing. He has his reasons for maintaining silence. At the right time, the chosen one will surface,” the source said.
The secrecy surrounding the succession plan has, however, unsettled many of Uzodimma’s political allies, some of whom are said to be weighing alternative ambitions as a hedge against uncertainty.
Insiders revealed that several top figures within the APC in Imo State have begun exploring senatorial and House of Representatives bids, wary of staking their political future solely on a governorship ticket that remains tightly guarded.
The jostling has intensified amid renewed agitation from political blocs in Owerri and Okigwe zones, both of which insist it is their turn to produce the next governor under the state’s unwritten Charter of Equity arrangement.
Stakeholders from the two zones have stepped up consultations and subtle lobbying, arguing that equity and political balance must guide the Governor’s eventual decision, especially given the delicate zoning dynamics in the state.
While Governor Uzodimma has made no public pronouncement on succession, the emergence of the three loyalists as frontrunners signals that the battle for Imo’s top job may ultimately be decided not in open political rallies, but within the inner sanctum of power where silence, strategy and timing remain his most potent tools.
