Many stakeholders believe that Governor Hope Uzodimma has done well and that his achievements will constitute an albatross for his political opponents. Nevertheless, others insist that the flag bearer of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and that of the Labour Party (LP), Athan Achonu, are not pushovers that can be dismissed with a wave of the hand. Who wins the next governorship poll in Imo State? Correspondent CHRIS NJOKU asks
The tenure of Imo State’s Governor Hope Uzodimma will end on January 14 next year. To avoid a power vacuum, a governorship contest to elect a new governor for the next four years is scheduled to hold on November 11. Uzodimma came to power on January 20, 2020, through the verdict of the Supreme Court, which upturned the victory of the seven-month-old administration of Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). In the Supreme Court verdict, Uzodimma was declared the winner of the 2019 governorship election.
So, Uzodimma who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be returning to the electorate in about three months to seek their votes of the Imo electorates to return to the seat of power in the state, otherwise known as Douglas House. People believe that his performance in the last three years or otherwise will play a decisive role in determining whether he will emerge victorious in the contest.
Although the APC’s performance during the February 25 presidential election puts a question mark on the acceptability of the party in Imo State, the party under the leadership of Uzodimma did well in the National Assembly elections, where it secured two out of the three senatorial seats and four out of the 10 House of Representatives seats. It also cleared all 27 seats in the state House of Assembly elections, which is unprecedented.
Observers believe all the recently elected lawmakers will constitute the foot soldiers that would assist the governor in securing his second term in November.
Besides, the thinking within APC circles is that the governor has done well in office in the last three and half years, particularly in road construction and the adoption of the digital economy in his administration, and should continue in office for a second term.
That was why he was unanimously adopted as the party’s consensus candidate ahead of the governorship primary. He was later formally elected as the party’s candidate during the primary, which took place at the Ndubuisi Kanu Square in the state capital, Owerri.
The party’s Publicity Secretary, Duke Cajetan said that Governor Uzodimma has the brightest chance among the three major candidates to win the forthcoming election. His words: “Well, the truth of the matter is that our party, the APC, has the brightest of chances to win the forthcoming Imo governorship election.”
He said that everything is working perfectly well for the party today, unlike in the past when it was embroiled in a serious internal crisis. He said: “As we approach the election, we have a governor who has performed creditably well to the admiration of the people, as our standard bearer. Our greatest strength is the performance of Governor Hope Uzodimma, particularly in infrastructural development.
“There’s no doubt that the governor has surpassed all the expectations of both his admirers and critics alike. Since the return of civil rule in 1999, Imolites has never had it so good. We are very optimistic that our people, who are the beneficiaries of these phenomenal infrastructural strides of the governor, will not fail to reciprocate the good works of the party.
“Our party, the APC, is unarguably the most internally cohesive, strong, united and vibrant political party in the state today. Effective leadership and internal stability are two vital ingredients for the electoral success of any political party. I can tell you that our party is the only political party in Imo today without distractions of internal squabbles.
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“Furthermore, the performance of the party in the just concluded state and National Assembly elections is another pointer to its strength, capacity and acceptability in the state. When you put all these factors and many more into consideration, you will agree with me that there’s no vacancy in Douglas House.
“When you take a walk around the state and engage our people, you will find out that the masses have made up their minds to re-elect Governor Uzodimma for his quality leadership. In comparison, the candidates of the other political parties, particularly the PDP and the LP have no track record or antecedent to challenge Uzodimma.”
Oguike Nwachukwu, the chief press secretary (CPS) to Governor Uzodimma, also believes that his principal’s chances of securing his second term in November are very high. He said the governor is not just going to win, but his win would be a landslide. His words: “The governor has demonstrated capacity for performance beyond the expectations of Imo people, including his political opponents. In all areas of human endeavour, you can see his shadow. Whether on roads infrastructure, education, health, agriculture, youth empowerment, civil service reforms and welfare, relationship with the other arms of government — legislature and judiciary, tourism, transportation, name it — Governor Uzodimma has successfully acquitted himself well. In the area of security, for instance, he has done more to secure lives and property than any other governor, given the myriad challenges he has faced in the sector since he assumed office. Elections are won based on the track record or performance of the candidate.”
Oguike said the recent endorsement of the governor by the Imo Elders Council, a gathering of respected senior citizens has already unsettled his opponents in the PDP. He added: “We hear they are busy writing queries to some of the elders that are perceived to be members of the PDP, but they lack the sense and foresight to know that what an old man sees sitting down, the young man cannot see standing up.
“Do you also think that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which has endorsed Governor Uzodimma’s second term recently, is playing partisan politics? The emeritus Prelate of the Methodist Church captured succinctly Governor Uzodimma’s record of verifiable achievements, capacity for governance and sense of commitment to service when he described his performance as superlative.”
Several groups across the state have also declared support for the governor’s re-election bid. For instance, indigenes of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area recently threw their weight behind the governor’s re-election bid. It was a carnival of sorts recently at the Ahiazu Mbaise council headquarters in Afor Oru, where stakeholders gathered to endorse the governor’s re-election bid. It was an impressive turnout of the APC leaders and their supporters, as well as others from other political parties.
In his opening remarks, the host and Sole Administrator of the council, Chief Tony Anakani extolled the developmental strides of Governor Uzodimma, especially on road infrastructure, renovation of many community health centres, social intervention and empowerment programmes for Ahiazu youths and women, among others.
The sole administrator said the governor has been kind to the Ahiazu people in political appointments, including two commissioners, principal secretary and director-general of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP), and numerous special advisers, as well as the creation of Ekwereazu Development Centre. Such a good gesture on the part of the governor, he added, “will be repaid on the day of the election”.
Ahiazu APC chairman, Chief Ethelbert Ugwu also urged the party members to show serious commitment by making sure that the success recorded in the House of Assembly elections is replicated during the November governorship election “so that the victory of Senator Hope Uzodimma will finally prove that Ahiazu is an APC stronghold”.
While speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Eze Nwaneche who is the Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers in Ahiazu praised Governor Uzodimma for his rare gift of quality service delivery, his character as a truthful and God-fearing man, as well as his love and care for traditional rulers. Nwaneche said that Ahiazu Mbaise’s traditional rulers are solidly behind Governor Uzodimma and will work for his re-election in November.
The Charter of Equity recently adopted by the Imo Council of Elders, led by Eze Cletus Ilomuanye, is also another factor that will enhance the governor’s chances in the election. The charter seeks to uphold fair and equitable rotation of the office of governor among the three senatorial zones in Imo State.
The emergence of the charter has formalized the issue of power rotation among the three senatorial zones. As a result, all stakeholders have fully embraced the zoning arrangement. Before now, people from other zones were not happy that the Orlu axis where Governor Uzodimma hails from was aggrieved that the zone had dominated the political space, particularly the governorship position for over 20 years. Based on the charter, the governor has continued to garner support from various groups across the three zones for his second term.
Many stakeholders see the charter as the solution to the protracted dominance of a particular zone. They are also in agreement that Governor Uzodimma should conclude his second term to allow the charter to begin its course. A group, Nzuko Owere General Assembly (NOGA), an umbrella body of indigenes of Owerri Federal Constituency (Owerri West, North and Municipal), said it strongly aligned with the Charter of Equity because it seeks to uphold fair and equitable rotation of the office of governor among the three senatorial zones.
Following a crucial meeting at the country home of one of its members, Chief Jerry Chukwueke (Ohamadike) in Awaka Town, Owerri North Local Government Area, the group resolved to support and align with the idea of upholding fair and equitable rotation of power, particularly the office of governor, among the three zones. The corollary from the above is that the group is in support of the governor’s re-election bid.
Another group known as the Imo State Joint Parliament has also backed Uzodimma’s second-term bid. The group, which comprises both serving and former parliamentarians from the state, has even called on governorship candidates of the PDP, Samuel Anyanwu and the Labour Party (LP), Athan Achonu to step down for Uzodimma.
In a statement, the group said: “Imo State Joint Parliament is not a praise-singing platform as it is made up of distinguished sons and daughters of Imo State in the legislature.”
However, a youth organisation, the Coalition of Southeast Youth Leaders, has warned the governor not to celebrate yet; as it is too early to say who will win the Imo State governorship election, given the fact that the election is still more than three months away. Its President-General, Goodluck Ibem said three months is a long time in politics and that anything can happen to change the people’s orientation and determine who wins the election in November.
Ibem admitted, however, that the governor has done well, even though his performance is still restricted to the urban centres and is yet to be felt at the grassroots. He said the dredging of Oguta Lake is a big plus for him. He said: “If that project is properly executed and starts functioning for economic activities, it will endear the people to him and this will boost his chances. That project will attract Igbo sons and daughters to Imo State.”
The youth leader believes if Governor Uzodimma galvanizes critical stakeholders and the younger generation on his side, he will be the candidate to beat in the election. He said: “Those whose primary responsibility in the state is to reach the people, the press, appear to be in a cold war with the administration, and I believe that is why the government is struggling hard to convince the people that the governor is doing well.
“Secondly, the government has a lot more job to do to convince the people that most of the killings in the state have nothing to do with the involvement of a third party, particularly the role of the state security outfit, named the Ebubeagu which people believe are behind most killings in the state and this may affect the result of the election if not well managed.”
Some pundits also believe that the LP and the PDP candidates are not pushovers as they may spring surprises in the election that some people believe is a workover for Governor Uzodimma.
It was also learnt that an alliance involving former governors, Rochas Okorocha, Emeka Ihedioha, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, and Uche Nwosu is underway to back one of the LP governorship aspirants, Gen. Lincoln Ogunewe (rtd) who lost out in the contest that produced Senator Achonu as the LP governorship candidate. They believe that Senator Achonu Uzodimma’s ally and that he may eventually step down for the governor.
An insider that was privy to their plan said the strategy is to use the Action Alliance (AA) platform, which Ogunewe is representing, to stop the re-election bid of the governor. He told our reporter in confidence: “We are in a chess game and as it stands our thinking is to ensure total victory for our plan.”
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