It is definitely going to be dicey this weekend as voters go to the units to elect members of the National Assembly and the President.
The election which would have taken place last week was called off by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, few hours to the kick off, will once again witness big fight across the party lines.
Contests for the position is going to be tougher in the Saturday election considering certain developments which have somehow reshaped the method it will take.
Before now, Obinna Mbata, a member of the Okorocha faction of APC was hitherto the APC owner of Owerri Federal Constituency, until Wednesday’s Federal High Court ruling which sacked him and gave the ticket to his closest challenger, Tony Umezuruike. The development is a big minus to the Okorocha camp of APC found majorly in AA. The Okorocha group had in their live up named Mbata as one of their candidates to be voted for before the court decision. which gave the ticket to Umezuruike on the basis that records of voting and evidences showed he won.
Umezuruike, formerly with the Okorocha group has dumped the Rescue Mission he served recently as a commissioner before joining the Coalition. How well the Okorocha group turns round to ask their members not to vote for the APC in the Owerri Federal Constituency position will be a scene to watch on Saturday.
Another interesting scene worthy of note is the Okigwe South Federal Constituency race where Court Order has again thrown the candidates apart. Barely 24 hours to the election, it is not certain whether the APC candidate, Hon Chike Okafor is still in the race if the contents of the court are carefully looked into after it said that the supposedly candidate of the party, Hon Emeka Nwajiuba was sacked.
One of the APC aspirants had gone to court challenging Nwawuba’s emergence. But before the matter could be decided, Nwajiuba had dumped APC for Accord where he is the ticket holder. But with the court sacking Nwawuba as APC candidate and declaring that the party has no candidate again, the second term ambition of Okafor is hanging in the balance. An inclement weather is hovering over the Okigwe South Federal Constituency throne comprising Obowo, Ihitte Uboma and Ehime Mbano.
The unsure position in Okigwe South Federal Constituency may pave way for the PDP candidate and former Deputy Speaker of the House, Surveyor Jonas Okeke to coast home with victory.
More disturbing is that of Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru West Federal Constituency were the fate of Uju Kingsley Chima is unknowing.
Earlier reports have it that following allegations of double registration he was accused to have been involved, INEC disqualified him from the contest. But Uju went to court, whether his AA party identity has been restored by INEC cannot be ascertained until the voting day.
Uju was accused of double filing of nomination for AA and Democratic Alternative (DA) which is in contrast to the Electoral Act punishable with disqualification.
Another major trouble is that of Owerri ticket where the fate of Emma Ojinere of APC is hanging in the balance over the inability of the APC members in the Coalition group are yet to accept and work for him because of his AA sympathy. Meanwhile the AA has a candidate, Chyma Anthony running for Senate, and likely to get the support of AA members of the Okorocha extraction, Ojinere has a cloudy future staring before him.
Same cloudy situation is being witnessed by Gov Rochas Okorocha who has the APC ticket for senate of Orlu zone. While Okorocha’s heart is in AA where his son inlaw is the governorship candidate, part of body is in APC but majority of the members are not routing for him. The core APC faithful may not give him any vote as their choice is between Osita Izunaso of APGA and PDP’s Jones Onyeriri.
In Owerri Federal Constituency, the intra party wrangling may give PDP’s Ikenna Elezianya a chance to emerge while it is between APC’s Goodluck Nanah Opiah and Henry Okafor of APGA should Uju’s AA party logo fails to get INEC recognition in the ballot.
Old war horse in the Reps seat, Gerry Alagbaoso will be on a history lane as he aims for the 3rd journey for Orsu, Orlu and Oru East Federal constituency while incumbent, Austin Chukwukere of Ideato Federal Constituency will engage in a battle of his life against kinsman Dr Paschal Obi of AA. Ironically, while Okorocha will be battling to garner votes in APC he will turn against Nwachukwu to ensure his former Principal Secretary Obi of AA emerges House of Reps member.
The odds will work against member representing Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Mbaise, Rapheal Nnana Igbokwe of APC. The former PDP member working in partnership with Okorocha wants to also create history by breaking the zonal structure of sharing the Reps ticket by keeping it in Ahiazu for another term. The candidates of the other major opposition; PDP and Ahiazu are of Ezinihitte bloc.
It is uncertain who will emerge except at the end of voting, counting and declaration of results by the INEC.
