Imo: Nwosu, Ihedioha, Uzodinma in epic battle

Candidates of the Action Alliance (AA) Uche Nwosu; People’s Democratic Party (PDP), People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Emeka Ihedioha; All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Ifeanyi Araraume; All Progressives Congress (APC) Hope Uzodinma and Accord Party Ikedi Ohakim are all in final push for votes ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

They have devised different means of winning the support of the electorate, which include taking their campaigns to markets, schools, churches and other worship centres to canvass for votes.

Many have also been engaged in acts of philanthropy, which include paying bills of stranded patients in hospitals.

One peculiar feature that distinguishes the Imo State governorship election is that apart from Nwosu, the other four leading contenders are assumedly in the ‘departure hall’ of their political careers.

To that extent, none of them is taking chances or leaving any stone unturned in the election that has been predicted to be the fiercest contest in the political history of the state.

Results from the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections have shown that the main contest is between Nwosu (AA) and the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, as both showed firm grip in their respective zones.

While Nwosu is riding on the support of the incumbent governor, Rochas Okorocha and the youths, Ihedioha, who is from Owerri zone, is enjoying the sympathy of people of the zone who are clamouring for power shift.

Meanwhile, Araraume, Uzodinma and Ohakim could not establish any control in their supposed strongholds, as shown by the results.

HOW THE CANDIDATES STAND

NWOSU- the former Chief of Staff to the Imo State governor is actually the candidate to beat in the election. With a massive support base among the youths and women across the state and the power of incumbency, Nwosu stands a better chance of winning the governorship election on March 9.

One other factor going for the AA candidate is the revolution among the youths, who are determined to topple the old politicians who have remained in power for too long, using him (Nwosu) as the rallying point.

Another factor that may swing the polls in his favour is the governor’s victory at the Imo West Senatorial election, which has reconciled some of those that left the camp during the primary elections.

UZODINMA- the major hurdle confronting the APC candidate is the internal crisis in his party. The manner he emerged the governorship candidate at the expense of the governor’s choice, left the APC in tethers. Just a fourth night ago, the APC Chairman in the state, Daniel Nwafor, during a press conference, said that the party does not have any candidate for the governorship election.

Even though he enjoys the support of the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, the APC candidate, as the result of the last election confirmed, is not in charge in his zone, as two AA candidates and one APC candidate loyal to Okorocha’s camp won in three out of the four Federal Constituencies in Orlu zone, while PDP clinched the fourth constituency.

However, President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory is likely to buoy the APC candidate’s chances at the election, as politicians are already flocking around him as a channel to penetrate the President.

IHEDIOHA- Based on statistics available from the results of the last election, the PDP candidate has strong control in his Owerri zone, especially in the three Local Government Areas of Ezinihitte, Aboh Mbaise and Ahiazu, referred to as ‘Mbaise Nation’.

Recall that in 2015 governorship election, Ihedioha was able to force the election to a rerun with votes from the three LGAs, which were the only Council Areas he won, out of the 27 Council Areas of the state.

At the just concluded National Assembly election, PDP cleared the Federal Constituency seats and the Senatorial seat in Imo East (Owerri Zone).

However, the PDP candidate has one major challenge to contend with, the disunity and discrimination among politicians from Owerri zone and the historical rivalry between indigenes of Mbaise and other parts of Owerri zone.

It is an established fact that an average Owerri man would rather support an Orlu man to be governor, than vote for an Mbaise man.

OHAKIM- The results of February 23 elections, showed that the former governor and candidate of Accord Party, has completely lost in the power play in his Okigwe Zone.

It was so bad that during the last election, voting could not take place in his Osu Owerre Ward 1 in Isiala Mbano Council Area, as a result of the absence of INEC officials and voting materials.

The outcome of the last election also showed that no Accord Party candidate got close to third position in the National Assembly election results and this will largely determine the former governor’s performance in the election.