From Steph Clem, Umuahia
With about three months to the general election lots of drama and uncertainties will be witnessed from the political office aspirants.
From the presidential race down to the state house of Assembly, it has become clear all those who have ambition to run for various positions across the country.
For Abia state, it is a battle for the experienced as well as the novice in politics gunning for the governorship position of the state.
With a total of 11 aspirants from the ruling PDP, about 2 from APC and 1 from APGA, and PPA, each, the race seems to be a tough one for all parties.
However, the aspirants that have the most experience and are popular with large following seem to be in the PDP.
That is where the likes of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, Chief Emeka Nwogu, Chief Alex Oti, Mr. Uche Ogah, Hon. Eric Acho Nwakanma, Chief Okezie Orji, Chief Okezie Ikpeazu, Chief Friday Nwosu, Chief Marc Wabara and Amb. Okey Emucahy are seeking to realize their ambitions from.
The ward congress of the party already conducted, it is still very dicey who would eventually emerge the party’s flag bearer at the primaries scheduled for this November.
In some states, the sitting governor or the party had openly declared who their preferred successor is, but in Abia state, Governor Theodore Orji has at various forums stated that he had no anointed candidate or aspirant but would support that power shifts to the South for equity and fair play.
The PDP in the state also announced after one of its stakeholders’ meeting that the party had resolved that the next governor of the state would be produced from the south as it had zoned the seat to that area.
Little wonder there are a total of 8 gubernatorial aspirants from that zone, while one is from the central the remaining 2 are from the North.
Ordinarily given that the people of this area have been clamouring for the number one spot of governance in the state, one would have thought that they would be united in their quest by carefully choosing a representative at the primaries so they do not split their votes among the 8 of them giving the contestants from the other two zones an advantage.
For all the aspirants, they seem to have a cordial relationship with the incumbent governor, but which one of them is the lucky one who would receive his blessing?
There is certainly no doubt that all 11 aspirants in the PDP guber race are successful men and woman in their different callings, but whether they would be successful in this one will be seen in the days ahead.
Out of these people, the contest might just be among three strong contenders, former two time deputy governor of the state, Eric Acho Nwakanma, from Obingwa Local government council, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, immediate past Deputy General Manager of Abia State Environmental Protection Agency also from Obingwa Local government council and in-law to Hon. Nwakanma and Mr. Uche Ogah, the CEO Master Energy Oil from Isuikwuato local Government Area, in Abia North senatorial zone.
However the first two are more favoured being indigenes of the south as well as having been around the corridors of power over the years than the third aspirant, who even though possesses the wherewithal to pursue his ambition, is still novel in politics.
At the end of the day, political horse-trading and compromise may re-arrange the equation
