By Onyekachi Eze
One month after emerging the consensus Candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC for the November 11, 2023 Imo State gubernatorial election, governor Hope Uzodimma is yet to name his running mate.
Uzodimma became the flagbearer of APC through a consensus method, and sealed at a direct primary of the party conducted in April across the 305 Wards of the State.
An aftermath of the exercise, many expected would be the pronouncement of his choice of deputy for the second term journey.
Uzodimma’s quietness on the choice of deputy for the election is causing uneasy calm in the fold of the party and Imolites who are eager to know the named running mate.
Apart from instituting anxiety among top chieftains of the party from different zones, the indifference approach of the Imo Governor to the would-be running mate is said to be unsettling both the Deputy Governor, Prof Placid Njoku and other leaders eyeing the position should Uzodimma go for a fresh person.
Baring any unforeseen circumstances, this newspaper reliably gathered that the governor may not run with Prof. Placid Njoku as a yet-to-be disclosed running mate may take over.
Trumpeta was informed that the delay in naming a running mate may not be unconnected with the said plan ditching Prof Njoku for a new person.
Since the new turn of events where the governor is dilly dallying on naming his running mate, show of interest from politicians of Okigwe and Owerri zones extractions has been high as Uzodimma hails from Orlu Zone.
Political bigwigs and APC stakeholders in ensuring that their bid yields positive fruit have been holding series of meetings, drumming support for Uzodimma’s second term bid. The air of uncertainty hovering around the choice of a Deputy Governor heightened when the PDP candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu in less than one week of his emergence picked Hon Jones Onyereri, a former Reps Member and PDP Senatorial Candidate from Orlu Zone as his running mate.
However, all eyes are on Senator Uzodimma to know where the pendulum would swing for who gets the nod, especially now many are reported to be on the catchment list for the position.
Meanwhile, grapevine sources have it that rather than causing disaffection between a group of people from same zone, the governor might go again with Njoku for the next four years.
