Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has his work cut out.
Achike Udenwa is the only man who has won re-election as Governor in the state in the past 15 years.
Not that Okorocha is discouraged by that antecedent in his quest for a second term.
L-R: Okorocha, Ohakim, Unegbu, Anyanwu, Amanze, Agbaso, Iheanacho, Ihedioha.His supporters cite Ekiti where Ayo Fayose has been elected for the second time, in a state where no one else has achieved the feat since the return of democracy to Nigeria in 1999.
But Okorocha faces a formidable opposition, among them former Governor Ikedi Ohakim who wants a second take.
And on June 30, Charles Amanze, a medical practitioner, joined the list of contestants.
Ohakim, Amanze and other politicians sketching their strategy to pull the carpet off the feet of Okorocha have raised the tempo of their campaign.
He was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2011, but defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) midway in his first term.
Okorocha is reportedly making moves back to APGA or the Labour Party (LP).
However, even if the report turns out to be a hoax, the election in February 2015 in Imo will be a triangular fight among the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on whose platform Amanze wants to run, the APC and APGA.
Contenders, campaign pitches
Okorocha is up against Ohakim, whom he trounced in the 2011 poll, as well as Amanze; House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha; and Senators Hope Uzodinma and Chris Anyanwu; former Interior Minister, Emmanuel Iheanacho; and a university lecturer, banker and lawyer, Okechukwu Unegbu.
Also in the race is Martin Agbaso, who was Okorocha’s benefactor in the poll four years ago and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume.
Amanze
Amanze said if elected, he would make Imo the number one state in industrialisation, infrastructure, education, health and security.
Amanze, former Chairman of the board of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, promised at the launch of his campaign in Uvuru ward to restore Imo to the position bequeathed to it by the late Sam Mbakwe, the first civilian Governor.
“I am confident that with your support and the will of God, I will make it. I have been rendering selfless services to humanity in various ways.
“As Chairman, board of UNTH, I saw to the relocation to the permanent site of UNTH. As member of the board of Technical Aid Corps, I provided jobs to indigenes of Imo State,” he recounted.
Ihedioha
Ihedioha, in his own pitch, said he is gingered morally, politically and is offering himself “to serve in the state in order to save our people from poor administration.”
Even as the contenders’ chances look bright, they also face stiff opposition in Ohakim, who is believed to have enough war chest and friends. He promised to correct his previous mistakes if re-elected.
His words: “I will seek the authorisation of my party, in line with the constitution, to continue my tenure, but that does not mean I will not abide by my party’s decision.
“I am not desperate; my ambition is to fly my party’s flag. I am a better human being now. I am not the only one who can assuage the suffering of party members who voted for me.”
Unegbu
Unegbu promised to prioritise job creation, wealth creation, agriculture, and health which would include telemedicine (the use of telecommunication and information technology to provide healthcare at a distance).
Iheanacho
Iheanacho, whose campaign posters have flooded the state, said Imo needs someone like him who is “honest, transparent and accountable to restore confidence in governance.”
Anyanwu
Anyanwu said. “I’m not coming out just to be counted as one of the contestants. I want to transform Imo. I want to touch lives here because I know the problems of the people.
“I’m coming out to open Imo State to the outside world so that real investors could come in because there has not been enough effort to open up Imo for industries to thrive.
“There will be massive skills acquisition to take care of our youths.”
Amanze versus the rest
But a community leader in Ngor Okpala council, Uju Madu, maintained that Amanze is more qualified to be governor based on his pedigree of rendering services to the under privileged, integrity and academic qualification.
“Amanze has touched so many lives in the course of his medical practice. Many widows and other less privileged people have benefitted from his generosity and kindness.
“He is down to earth. Imo State will experience development, peace and stability if he becomes the governor in 2015,” Madu said.