At Last, Senator Hope Uzodinma's Imo Guber Bid Unveiled

BY EZE EGEJURU

.As Group Backs Imo West (Orlu) Zone To Produce next Imo State Governor.

SENATOR UZODINMA

Speculations that the senator representing Imo West Senatorial District (Orlu Zone), Senator Hope Uzodinma is eying the 2019 governorship contest may be real afterall.

This newspaper had reported severally that the senator is deeply involved in the scramble for the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Imo State as a springboard to contest the 2019 governorship polls.

Despite the fact the senator is coming from a geo political zone that has consistently produced the governor of Imo State, a group named Mainstream Orlu has called on the senator to march forward into the governorship contest.
There are three senatorial zones in the State namely Owerri, Okigwe and Orlu zones.

A zoning arrangement was agreed in principle to rotate the office of the Executive Governor of the State among the zones to ensure balance and equity.

Since the return of democracy in 1999, Orlu zone (Imo West) has produced the State governor twice. Former Governor Achike Udenwa governed the State for 8 years from 1999- 2007.

The present governor of the State, Rochas Okorocha is from the zone. By the time he completes his second tenure in 2019, Orlu Zone would have produced the State governor for 16 years.

Okigwe zone (Imo North) produced Ikedi Ohakim as governor from 2007- 2011. No one from Owerri zone (Imo East) has been governor of the State since 1999.

Late Evan Enwerem was Owerri zone and governed the State for only 22 months (1992-1993) under the military government of General Sani Abacha.

The group backing the senator is said to be backed a former presidential aspirant, High Chief Batos Nwadike.

 A statement credited to the group stated “Mainstream Orlu is poised with its credible candidate in the person of Senator Hope Uzodinma to take Imo state to an enviable level.

“We have tried our best to put the charter of equity on a sound footing but fringe elements in Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe truncated it. So it is not the fault of mainstream Orlu. Too bad because the big masquerade is out."

It took a swipe at former Governor Ikedi Ohakim who recently announced his intention to contest for the governorship seat of Imo State.

“I appreciate the patriotism and developmentall zeal of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim and as well his love for Imo people in general. I will also not question his arrogant urge to serve Imo state at the exalted office of Governor of the state. That is worthwhile. The only snag is that 2019 and beyond is the turn of mainstream Orlu to be Governor of Imo state" Nwadike, mobilizer of the group was reported to have said .