This Saturday, Imo state electorate will troop out to elect Governor Rochas Okorocha’s replacement from the more than 70 candidates across the parties. Chidiebere Iwuoha writes.
The Contenders:
In the state, it is only about five political parties that are seriously in contention for the coveted seat at the Imo Government House fondly called Douglas House but re-christened People’s House by the out-going Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s administration.
The candidates are Chief Emeka Ihedioha, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Senator Godwin Ifeanyi Araraume, former senator representing Imo North Senatorial District (All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA), Senator Hope Uzodinma, the incumbent senator representing Imo West aka Orlu Senatorial zone in the National Assembly All Progressives Congress, (APC), Sir Ikedi Ohakim, who is the erstwhile governor of Imo State.
The Accord Party has as its candidtae Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, who is the erstwhile Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning and the immediate past Chief of Staff to Governor Okorocha, Action Alliance, (AA). Other contestants numbering about 70 are also in the race, but most of them are seen as mere pretenders.
They are not mere pretenders because they don’t know the history of the state or cannot offer or proffer solutions to some existing socio-economic and political problems bedeviling the state at least to some extent.
However, they are pretenders because they have ideas but would find it difficult to penetrate the minds of the people because they don’t have enough financial muscles and capacity to induce the voters. It is obvious vote-buying has become a trend and fashionable in the country.
The Pretenders
Those that readily fall within this category are: Dr Linus Okorie of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), whose leadership seminars and lectures over the years have been second to none in the history of this nation. He has trained leaders in different fields and through that way empowered a lot of them. But it appears that all those lectures are not what Imo people are clamouring for in 2019.
Another seemingly pretender is the governorship flagberarer of the Change Advocacy Party (CAP), Reverend Ikenna Emmanuel, a radio preacher who said that God sent him to Imo state to deliver his people. From what he preaches every Sunday and solutions to Imo people’s problems, one would think that he is the governor in waiting.
Honourable Ifeanyi Agwu represented Ehime Mbano state constituency on two occasions. While in the House of Assembly, he was chairman, House Committee on Bugdet and Appropriation and currently, he has what it takes to revamp the economy of the state. He is of the People for Democratic Change (PDC).
Paschal Ejiogu of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) whose father was Commissioner for Public Utilities in Chief Achike Udenwa’s regime from 1999 to 2007. He has printed a lot of souvenirs like calendars, exercise books etc which are given to his supporters.
Honourable Chidi Godwin Ofoegbu of the Progressives People’s Congress (PPC) was a local government chairman in Enugu state. He is also an evangelist. He has assured that his emergence as governor will send armed robbers and kidnappers who have been having field days in the state packing. He also promised to recover stolen funds from past regimes.
Ikeh C. Ibeh of the Independent Democrats (ID) is one of the aspirants that left APGA when Senator Ifeanyi Araraume came calling. He has been a governorship aspirant right from the days of Chief Achike Udenwa when rumour had it that he was being packaged to take over from him in 2007. During that time, he was in charge of a medical mission that was giving medical assistance to Imo people.
Dr Casimir Anyanwu is the winner of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship primary in the state and has continued to campaign for votes despite the party’s insistence that Mr Okey Ezeh is their governorship candidate.
He is married to former senator representing Owerri Zone and owner, Hot 95.5 FM, Senator Chris Anyanwu. He was Managing Director of defunct Imo State owned Progress Bank and as a commissioner in the Revenue, Mobilization and Fiscal Policy Committee.
He has promised to revitalize Imo’s economy within six months. Contesting the ticket with him is Mr Okey Ezeh, who was one of the aspirants that were disappointed by the APGA hierarchy and Senator Araraume. Eze is a businessman, banker and journalist, who believes he has all it takes to turn around the state’s economy.
Chuks Edward Okonya of the All Grand Alliance Party(AGAP) says he would build Imo of “our collective dream” if given the mandate by taking care of the welfare of workers and pensioners, develop human capital, sustain infrastructural development among others.
Chief Humphrey Anumudu of the Zenith Labour Party has been a governorship aspirant since 1999. It is believed that he won the PDP governorship primary in 1999, but because of the need to allow somebody from Orlu Zone which appeared marginalized at the time. He was asked to make way for Chief Achike Udenwa who eventually won that year’s election and became governor.
Chief Joseph Ikechukwu Ukaegbu of the Labour Party claimed that God told him that a certain Joseph who was born in the church would win Imo governorship this year. He believes he knows Imo problems inside-out and Hon Tony Nwulu of the United Progressives Party (UPP) is currently in the House of Representatives and championed the ‘Not Too Young to Run’ bill.
Others that make up the list of 70 governorship candidates could also be categorized as far from the notable pretenders. Many in the state believe they should have gone for State Assembly or House of Representatives instead of trying to draw attention from Imo people.
As for the contenders earlier mentioned, these are the people that the Imo voters are looking up to, to mount the leadership rostrum in the state and they have made serious impacts in their campaigns.
