2015 Imo Governorship Contest: A Three Horse Race This piece is a follow up to last week’s write up which analyzed the political implications of the registration of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Imo State. I received several calls and text messages from concerned Imolites who expressed reservations for and against the piece. Their reactions gave rise to this write up which is aimed at expatiating the reasons why I strongly believe that the three political political parties in the State are one step close to success in their endeavour to capture the much cherished Imo governorship seat. With the clamour by Owerri zone for the restoration of the Imo Charter of Equity, I have the conviction that the governorship race in the State in 2015 has taken a new shape and dimension. I also believe that the coming on board of the All Progressives Congress (APC) into the political chess game of the State has given the political landscape of Imo coloration. The arrival of the APC makes the governorship race in Imo State in 2015 a three horse race. It will be a clear contest between the PDP, the APC and APGA. The United Peoples Party (UPP) has shown some sparks too. But I wonder if the new kid on the block has gotten the required political muscle to upstage other strong political forces in the State. Based on these political indices and permutations, I am forced to narrow down the governorship contest in Imo to the big three if one takes into consideration the political clout and strength of the three political parties. To the best of my knowledge, the PDP has vowed to make mince meat of other parties as it goes into the governorship race in 2015 like a wounded lion ready to devour its opponents and stage a come- back to power after losing to APGA in the 2011 elections. The party has bared its fangs and ready for the biggest battle in 2015. It is only a political novice that will underrate the strength of a party that was in power for 12 years. And to show it is serious for the business ahead, it has conducted internal reforms to regain political strength and has continuously proved that it is ready to re capture political power which it enjoyed for 12 years before it was interrupted in the 2011 elections. Parading political heavyweights such as the Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, Capt Emmanuel Ihenacho, Minister of State, foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, etc, Hon. Bethel Amadi, who is the president of the African Parliament, the party has the political nerve to wrestle power from the ruling party in Imo State. And it has shown such capability in recent times. First it took APGA to the cleaners in the re run elections for the federal seat in Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Mbaise Federal Constituency defeating other contenders. It also gave APGA a run for the votes in the Oguta House of Assembly election. Its candidate in the Oguta re- run polls, Hon Eugene Dibiagwu had won the re- run which took him to the House of Assembly before his victory was quashed by a law court, thus setting the stage for fresh polls which took place early last month. The election was declared inconclusive by INEC. PDP’s political strength in Imo -State cannot be underestimated. And the success it has gained from the outcome of these polls show that they will be no pushover in the next governorship election in the State. However, the party still has some hurdles to cross. It has a herculean task to convince Imolites that it has dumped “share the money” mentality, a phrase that seriously impaired its political relationship with majority of the people of the State in the last political dispensation. It also has the task to manage the interests and ambitions of its heavyweights if it wants to avoid internal implosion that will be of immense benefit to the opposition. The entrance of the APC gives the Imo governorship contest a whole new dimension. With the new party’s registration by INEC, APC automatically is the ruling party in Imo State. Led by Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, the party face the task of retaining the seat of power in 2015 which it captured with the platform of APGA in 2011. With the Imo governor encountering stiff opposition from the PDP, the new APC has a task to retain the governorship seat in the State, though it has the incumbency factor as an added advantage. How it goes about achieving electoral success between now and then depends on how Rochas delivers dividends of democracy to the people of Imo State. The APC, like the PDP in Imo State, is well structured, has grassroots support and has the political nerve to put up strong political outing in 2015 in the State. However, its political success will be predicated in the next political move of Rochas. I align with the School Of Thought that says if Rochas decides to plunge into the presidential contest; it will affect the chances of the APC in the polls especially when it has stiff opposition from the PDP to contend with. The case of Kano State is a case study for the Imo governor. Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano State had leaped into the presidential race, a move which cost his party, the defunct ANPP, the governorship seat of Kano which it lost to PDP’s Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Further, if Rochas goes for the presidency, the APC in Imo will loose its “General” and this may be catastrophic for the party in its quest to retain power in 2015. Enter the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). APGA is back on its feet after it was dumped by Rochas who used the party’s platform to capture the governorship seat in the State in 2011. The party presently revolves around Senator Chris Anyanwu and Chief Martin Agbaso. Both are believed to be interested in the governorship contest. If the revival is effectively carried out in the party, APGA will bounce back to reckoning in Imo politics. The party still enjoys widespread acceptability and if it is effectively propelled it may unleash another political surprise on the big contenders such as the PDP and the APC in the State.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 17:23:24 +0000
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