Indications are rife that the race for the contentious Okigwe senate seat will commence again whenever there is bye-election to elect another senator of the zone following the demise of Senator Benji Uwajumogu.
Trumpeta learnt that the former Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume may join the race.
Trumpeta was told that the two prominent sons of the Senatorial zone are all qualified to contest for the seat whenever the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC calls for a fresh election to replace Senator Benji Uwajumogu who held the position before he died recently.
Observers are of the opinion that if both men join the fray, it would change the Okigwe Senate seat equation, and heighten the stakes in the Area.
However, even though Senator Ifeanyi Araraume is the candidate of All Progressive Congress, APGA in the last Imo Governorship election, and is still in court against the Governor of Imo State Emeka Ihedioha, but pundits are of the thought that should Araraume lose in court, the only option left for him to remain politically relevant till 2023 is to join the Okigwe senate seat.
For Governor Ikedi Ohakim, many had said that had the former Governor ran for Okigwe Senate seat in 2019, instead of Governorship election, he would have now been a member of National Assembly.
The question now is, will Ohakim join the race now, since the coast seems clear with a fresh poll coming in the zone to replace Uwajumogu?
But the obstacle now against Araraume and Ohakim joining the contest is that both PDP and APGA candidates, Chief Charles Onyirimba and Hon Ndubueze respectively still remain candidates in the Okigwe Senate election, which has lasted more than any other senatorial election in the land.
Hon Ndubueze was the candidate of PDP in the election, while Attorney Charles Onyirimba is that of APGA.
But the question now is, can both men still muscle up enough funds to enter yet another senatorial contest in Okigwe zone after having spent from their noses following the lingering election which stretched all the candidate’s financial powers to the limit?
Therefore, in the event that Ohakim and Araraume join the fray, it will rekindle their political rivalry which has dogged both men and Okigwe zone to no end.
However, Okigwe zone and Imo people in general are having their fingers crossed, and waiting patiently, what will be the outcome of the Okigwe senate seat whenever INEC calls for a re-run to fill the vacancy created by Uwajumogu’s death.
