By EXCEL CHIMA
The two candidates of the parties, Rt Hon Benjamin Uwajumuogu (APC) is a former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly.
Hon. Athan Nneji Achonu is the PDP candidate whose election as senator representing the district was nullified by the Appeal Court which ordered for a re- run.
Observers of the poll say the repeat polls will be tough as the two candidates are well rooted and command enormous political followership in the district that could swing victory either way.
Before now, both candidates and leaders of their various political parties have been involved in serious political altercations and fireworks. Campaigns to woo voters have been intense as well.
This online newspaper had reported that both candidates had resorted to throwing political jabs at each other as the elections draw close. This makes the contest fierce and unpredictable.
Here is a brief summary of the chances of the candidates which makes the outcome of the polls unpredictable.
Six local governments are up for grabs in the senatorial district namely Onuimo, Njaba, Isiala Mbano, Ehime Mbano, Obowo and Ihitte Uboma
APC (Benjamin Uwajumuogu).
Uwajumuogu as former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly is riding on the support of top APC stalwarts in the State, including Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha and two time senator, Ifeanyi Araraume.
Araraume represented Imo North Senatorial District from 1999.2007.
The former Speaker is anchoring his campaign on the basis that he will be the first South East senator if elected on Saturday.
He told a radio station in Owerri in an interview early this week that the benefits of being the only APC South East senator are numerous to his people and the entire South East.
The former Speaker said he will be a member of the leadership caucus of the senate, member of the APC national executive and all other leadership structures of the National Assembly and the ruling party if he is elected.
This, according to him, will translate to huge gains for his constituency.
His opponents however disagree with him on the basis that all the accolades and positions he will garner as the first APC South East senator is for his personal gain and that of his political associates.
His opponents accuse him of not doing much for his peopel when he was the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly. The issue of diversion of contracts for health centers in some local governments that constitute Imo North was raised by his opponent, Senator Athan Achonu.
He denied the allegation, rather pointing accusing fingers at the senator who incidentally was the contractor to build health one centre in each of the 774 local governments in the country.
His opponent, Achonu had also accused the Uwajumuogu’s APC of trying to infiltrate INEC to rig the re- run polls in APC’s favour.
“We warn any INEC official to desist from indulging in manipulating the election in favour of the APC on Saturday” his opponent, Senator Achonu warned.
However, based on political permutations, the APC candidate is said to have strong political taproots in the six local governments that make up Imo North senatorial district which if properly harnessed will make him a winner on February 20, 2016.
PDP (Athan Achonu)
Imo North has been of the PDP stronghold. This is why 80% of the elected representatives of the people have come from the party since 1999. Presently, all the House of Reps members are PDP members.
The party also boats of top political heavyweights such as former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim and other party stalwarts such as Hon Obinna Onwubariri, a young member of the House of Representatives who has strong commanding influence on the youth of the area.
The senator is said to have has so much political goodwill in the zone and is leveraging on his performance in his 6 months in the senate as tool to seek for victory votes in the re- run polls.
However, Senator Achonu has a herculean task to prove to the APC that his victory in the March 2015 National Assembly elections was not a fluke.
His APC opponents have severally accused him of “wining the first polls on the strength of the impunity the then ruling PDP carried out in the last elections”.
His opponent, Uwajumuogu had said Achonu “won” the March 2015 polls because the PDP then in power used security forces in collaboration with INEC to rig the elections in his favour, adding that under the Buhari administration, such impunity will not take place.
He had fired back at his APC opponent accusing him of non performance when he was Speaker of the State Assembly.
To further strengthen his chances in the polls, top PDP heavyweights led by the former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, former Gov Ikedi Ohakim, some members of the House of Representatives have rolled out drums of support for the senator.
CONCLUSION.
The charged political atmosphere in Imo North Senatorial district makes it a contest that is too close to call considering the political weight of the two contenders. This makes the contest not an easy ride for any of them.
POLITICAL MAP/SPECULATED POLL CHART.
EHIME MBANO- PDP stronghold .
ISIALA MBANO- PDP stronghold.-
IHITTE UBOMA- APC stronghold
ONUIMO- APC stronghold
NJABA- APC/ PDP strongholds . Too Close To Call
OBOWO- APC/PDP base. To close to call
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