Strong Indications are that a former Governor of Imo State, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim has commenced making strong moves towards the Okigwe Senate race, which sources said have prompted a deluge of the campaign of calumny and propaganda to stop the Ex-Governor.
The race for the contentious Okigwe Senate seat will commence again whenever there is bye-election to elect another senator of the zone following the demise of Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu.
Chief Ihedi Ohakim who left the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP during the 2019 election to contest for Imo Governorship seat under the platform of ACCORD recently concluded plans to announce his intention to contest the vacant office caused by the death of Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu. Thus, immediately the Ohakim Senate story filtered out, political opponents of the Ex-Governor went to town with the allegation that he was arrested by police following fraudulent activities against one Mrs. Chinyere Amuchinwa, a popular international businesswoman in Imo state.
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The allegations are that he defrauded her of a huge sum of Five hundred naira (₦500,000,000).
Alongside Ikedi Ohakim for this race is the popular Senator Ifeanyi Araraume. The two prominent sons of the Senatorial zone are all but qualified to contest for the seat whenever the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC calls for a fresh election to replace Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu who held the position before he died recently.
Observers are of the opinion that if both men join the fray, it would change the Okigwe Senate seat equation, and heighten the stakes in the Area.
For Governor Ikedi Ohakim, many had said that had the former Governor ran for Okigwe Senate seat in 2019, instead of the Governorship election, he would have now been a member of the National Assembly. The question now is, will Ohakim join the race now, since the coast seems clear with a fresh poll coming in the zone to replace Uwajumogu?
But the obstacle now against Araraume and Ohakim joining the contest is that both PDP and APGA candidates, Chief Charles Onyirimba and Hon Ndubueze respectively still remain candidates in the Okigwe Senate election, which has lasted more than any other senatorial election in the land.
Honourable Ndubueze was the candidate of PDP in the election, while Attorney Charles Onyirimba (SAN) is that of APGA. But the question now is, can both men still muscle up enough funds to enter yet another senatorial contest in Okigwe zone after having spent from their noses following the lingering election which stretched all the candidate’s financial powers to the limit?
Therefore, in the event that Ikedi Ohakim in the fray, it will rekindle their political rivalry which has dogged both men and Okigwe zone to no end.
However, Okigwe zone and Imo people in general are having their fingers crossed, and waiting patiently, what will be the outcome of the much-contested Okigwe Senate seat whenever INEC calls for a re-run to fill the vacancy created by Uwajumogu’s death.
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