Sam Anyanwu, Athan Achonu, odas dey drag power from Hope Uzodinma

All don ready for di Imo State govnorship election 2023 wey go happun for south-east Nigeria on di 11 November 2023.

Di voters go decide di fate of who go lead di state for di next four years as di incumbent Govnor Hope Uzodinma of di All Progressives Congress (APC) go face Senator Samuel Anyanwu of di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Athan Nneji Achonu from di Labour Party (LP).

One tin wey dey interesting be say all di three major contenders na former senators for Imo state. Anoda tin be say dis three candidates don be member of PDP before while Senator Uzodinma bin port go APC, Senator Achonu port go LP but Senator Anyanwu neva comot PDP.

Profile of di top candidates for Imo election 2023

Senator Athan Achonu- LP

Senator Athan Achonu na politician for Imo state. Dem born am for May 31 1959 for Okigwe to di family of Chief (Sir) T.E.O Achonu, MFR; and Nneoma Martha Achonu as di number 6 child out of 8 wey im mama born.

Im attend Madonna High School, Etiti, for Imo State before im proceed go Government College Umuahia, Abia State. Achonu na graduate of John Cabot University for Rome, Italy, wia im bag a Bachelors degree for Agronomy.

Achonu bin dey di 8th National Assembly before dem comot am becos say di error dey ballot paper. For 2015 wey Achonu dey serve as senator representing Imo North senatorial district under PDP, appeal court for Owerri overturn im victory sake of say di logo of Accord Party no appear for di ballot paper wey dem use do di election. Na anoda pesin come win di re-run election.

As one of di strong contenders for dis election, im supporters dey call am one hand general as im no be new face for Imo state politics.

Achonu bin dey army wen im fight for di Biafra side against Nigerian troops for 1967-1970 civil war. Im lose one of im hand wen im be wan rescue a colleague wey accidentally pull trigger during one battle.

Senator Samuel Anyanwu - PDP

Senator Samuel Anyanwu - Dem born Senator Anyanwu on 18 June 1965 and im don represent di Imo East constituency for di 8th National Assembly. For 2019, im declare to run for govnor under PDP but im lose to Chukwuemeka Ihedioha for di party primaries.

Na im be national secretary of di PDP and im bin serve as di senator representing Owerri zone of di state from 2015 to 2019.

E attend University of Port-Harcourt for 2001 wia im bag a Masters degree for political administration, University of Cambridge, Judge Business School and Harvard University Kennedy School.

Anyanwu na former chairman of Ikeduru Local Government Area for western Imo State from 2004 to 2007; from 2007 reach 2015, im be member of di Imo State House of Assembly.

For October 2023, di Board of Trustees of PDP demand say make Anyanwu resign as di party national secretary as im dey contest for di Imo State govnorship election.

Di 58-year old senator Anyanwu na from di Okigwe zone of di state.

Senator Hope Uzodimma - APC

Dem born Senator Uzodinma on 12 December 1958 to di family of Chief Michael Uzodinma and Ezinne Rose Uzodimma for Omuma. Uzodinma bin attend Mgbidi Secondary School for Omumu, Oru West, Imo State. Im na di candidate of APC for di forthcoming election as nobody contest against am for di primaries.

Uzodinma bin graduate from di University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) wit a Masters degree for Human Relations after a Bachelors degree for International Studies and Diplomacy from Washington University in St. Louis; e be graduate of University of London wit degree for political science. Im hold Diploma and Higher Diploma for Maritime Management Technology from Federal University of Technology Owerri; and im also get honorary Doctorate degree from Imo State University.

Hope Uzodinma na di incumbent govnor of Imo state wey im win since 2020. Di Supreme Court bin declare Uzodinma winner of di 2019 governorship election for Imo State after dem nullify di election of Emeka Ihedioha of PDP wey bin occupy di govnorship seat for just few months before court sack am.

Uzodinma bin don serve two terms as senator wey represent di Orlu zone from 2011 to 2019. Later im decide to come home and contest for govnor.

Why Imo State dey do off-cycle election?

Pipo dey wonder why Imo state election na off-cycle. Truly, e get why and na becos of di previous outcomes of post-election cases. Di cases dey either comot govnors for office or order new election dates.

For Imo state, di 2019 govnorship election get wahala. Dem elect Emeka Ihedioha of di PDP as govnor for 2019 general elections. Sadly, di mata reach court as Hope Uzodinma of APC challenge di election of Ihedioha.

Na Uzodinma carry fourth position for di election, but im challenge di result and di court bin rule in favour of Uzodinma.

For January 2020, di Supreme court bin sack Ihedioha and declare Uzodinma as winner of Imo state 2019 govnorship election.

More info for 2023 Imo state govnorship election

No woman dey contest for di 2023 govnorship election as seventeen men go battle am out for di election on 11 November.

Na seventeen political parties dey participate for di election.

Di Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) bin reveal say election no go hold for 38 polling units for Imo State on Saturday.

INEC tok for dia statement say make pipo for di 38 polling units wey election no go reach no expect officials and dem no produce any materials for dem.

Imo state get 4,758 polling units but election go hold for only 4,720 polling units as 38 polling units no get registered voters.

Remember say for 2021, INEC bin create additional 1, 235 polling units for Imo state to increase number of polling units wey go allow voters get access. Na how di total number for Imo state reach 4,758.

INEC reveal say well trained technical staff go dey for all di Registration Areas (RAs) and Local Government Areas (LGAs) wey go provide technical support for di BVAS during election.

Imo state get total number of 2,419,922 registered voters. Di number of male voters na 1,199,263 while female voters na 1,220,659.

For Thursday evening, INEC begin dey distribute election materials to all di 27 local government areas wey dey Imo state.