Chief Hope Uzodimma is the Senator representing Orlu Zone (Imo West) in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly. The seasoned politician gained the people’s mandate in 2011 and expectedly, his stay would come to an end in 2015.
Ahead the 2015 election, notable personalities and powerful forces from Orlu zone are desirous to replace him. Even as Senator Uzodimma has not publicly declared interest to have a second missionary journey, there are strong indications that the Omuma-Oru East born politician wants a repeat show at the Chamber of the National Assembly.
With 2015 still ahead, interested bidders for the Orlu zone Senate position are reported to be developing strategies and raising political machinery for the coming political bout.
During the last edition, it was a straight fight between the incumbent, Senator Uzodimma of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Governor Achike Udenwa who ran under ACN. Initially, there were schisms within the PDP rank as Uzodimma and his predecessor, Senator Osita Izunaso dragged the PDP ticket. Despite the discordant tunes from the two camps over who has the PDP flag for the 2011 election. PDP won Udenwa’s ACN for the coveted position. Supreme Court decision later confirmed Uzodimma the actual representative of Orlu zone in Senate Chambers.
However, halfway after Uzodimma’s tenure, there are strong indications that the incumbent Senator would face another uphill task if he is interested in the position come 2015. At present, unconfirmed reports have it that more than five persons are reportedly nursing senatorial ambitions. Unlike in 2015 when it was a straight fight between PDP and ACN for the throne, there would definitely be an admixture of various interests and personalities due to changing political climate in Imo State. During that era, Uzodimma, Izunaso and Udenwa battled for the seat, a relatively unknown contestant Mrs under APGA ticket. However, the coming into power of one Mrs Nonye Rajis ruling APGA in Imo State has not only upturned the political grandeur but also created window of opportunities for fresh bloods to seek the Orlu Zone people’s mandate for the Senate.
Though Uzodimma’s next move has not become clearer but field reports indicate that his campaign team is still intact waiting for further directives for the 2015 agenda. Apart from, his old reliables who are his foot soldiers at the grassroots, “Onwa Oyoko” as the Senator is fondly called is not loosing sight of any chance to maintain his stronghold in Orlu zone. Reports also have it that to further strengthen his political structure ahead 2015; Uzodimma has intensified grassroot mobilization as new ward coordinators have joined his political family. Despite retaining his old Hope Uzodimma political family that played vital roles against Izunaso camp during the PDP primaries, the Senator is fast poaching coordinators at all levels. Uzodimma has in his kitty top PDP politicians from Orlu zone while run-away PDP members who found themselves in ACN in 2011 have retraced their steps back to the party with the umbrella sign post. He is also said to be commanding respect among the Orlu zone LGA party Chairmen and members of the LGA executives. The Senators welfarist approach and accommodating posture is the magic wand that has drawn him close to the people. Uzodinma does not need wider consultations again to bid for a secondary missionary journey.
Poised to give the incumbent a run for his money should he return as PDP candidate for the 2015 Senatorial contest is the member representing Ideato North State Constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly, Barr (Mrs) Eudora Igwe. Judging from the body language and political machinations of the state lawmaker, no one needs a soothsayer to foretell Mrs Igwe’s next political move.
Eudora, the wife of Ideato born business mogul and industrialist, Chief Christian Igwe came into limelight when he became the Ideato North LGA Executive Chairman during the Achike Udenwa era.
Mrs Igwe has began underground moves to create awareness and sensitize people of Orlu Zone of her dreams. The female lawmaker is yet to make public his intention but there is no denying the fact that Igwe’s Adaoma Foundation is a good political weapon to permeate the 12 LGAs of Orlu Zone. Adaoma Foundation is the pet-project of Mrs Igwe targeted at touching lives of indigent and less-privileged persons in the state. Keen observers of Orlu Zone politics are of the view that there is more than the eye can meet in the formation and operations of the lawmaker’s non-governmental organization. The activities of the Adaoma Foundation goes beyond Ideato-North; an indication that the Senatorial position could be Mrs Igwe destination in 2015.
Another factor that would sustain Igwe’s Senatorial desire is the Ideato clan request to have a fair share of the Senatorial Seat come 2015. Since Nigeria’s nascent democracy, no person from Ideato Clan has occupied the seat. This denial may have prompted Mrs Igwe to attempt to break the jinx and enter the record books as first Orlu Senator from Ideato block.
Though, they have not showed enough pragmatic steps to suggest that gaining an elective position in 2015 will not be their portion but words oozing from their camps indicate that they may join the race. Among those in this cadre is the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Imo State, Prof Anthony Anwuka, former member who represented Ideato Federal Constituency, in the House of Representative, Hon ThankGod Ezeani, a Commissioner serving in Okorocha’s Cabinet, Ichie Uche Best Mbanaso and ex-Governor Udenwa.
Anwuka who is said to be involved in ego trip and political supremacy with his Oguta kinsman and former Senator, Francis Arthur Nzeribe is considering a shot at the Senate. Having reached the apogee of his academic career by serving as Vice-Chancellor of the State University, Anwuka after the SSG position would want to be at the National Assembly to equal Nzeribe’s record. Initially, it was learnt that Anwuka was interested in the Federal House of Representatives position for Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru West which pitched him against another suspected aspirant and Deputy Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Pharmacist Donatus Ozoemena from Oru West, the Senatorial ambition may have prompted the SSG to be deeply involved in Orluzurumee politics as he takes active part in the formation of executive members.
Anwuka, political pundits say is using the Orluzurumee structure to pull strings for the Senatorial race when hostilities begin next year.
After a brief stint at the House of Reps at the birth of our nascent democracy in 1999, Hon Ezeani is reported to be launching another come back bid to the political scene. The former Reps member of PDP extraction who battled with late OGD for the Reps seat believes it is the turn of Ideato Fed constituency to produce the next Senator for Orlu Zone.
Imo State Commissioner for Commerce, Ichie Mbanaso is also reported to be interested in the position. As one of Governor Okorocha’s loyalists and trusted allies, the politician will rely on the continued support of the Governor to spring surprises in APGA/APC. Ichie Mbanaso’s changing fortunes is another moral booster as the commissioner has reportedly garnered the required cash to prosecute an electioneering campaign that will cover 12 LGAs.
For Udenwa, a recent meeting at his Amaifeke-Orlu country home where his old “red army” of Onongono PDP political family and ACN members from Orlu zone was another signal that the former two-time Chief executive of the Orlu born state is still interested in the Senatorial race. Apart from rekindling the APC spirit in ACN members, Udenwa’s clarion call was used to resuscitate his political machinery for the 2015 Senate race.
Senator Izunaso’s next political move is still cloudy but his political associates disclose that the arrowhead of Kpakpando Foundation is still available for the Senatorial race. Izunaso’s romance with Gov. Okorocha may provide the needed tonic to re-launch a fresh offensive for the Senatorial position in 2015. Till then, lets watch and see.
