With the gathering political tides in Imo State, there are very strong indications, that Senator Hope Uzodinma may not return for a second term in office, that is if he outlasts his first tenure as governor of Imo State.
The immediate problem facing Uzodinma at the moment, is the Philip Umeadi case, which is demanding an explanation from the Supreme Court, how Uche Nwosu would be declared as the candidate of the APC in the 2019 General Election by the Supreme Court, yet the same Supreme Court would remove Ihedioha and install Hope Uzodinma as govenror of Imo State.
This has put the Supreme Court in dilemma, and is believed to be the reason the case is being delayed, as there is belief amongst the general populace in the state, that moves are being made to either get the case thrown out, or come up with an excuse for the judgement, no matter how unbelievable it may look.
The Supreme Court now runs a risk of discrediting itself with this case, as a lot of people locally and internationally are interested and keenly watching to see how they will untie themselves from the bind they have already put themselves in, with the two conflicting judgements.
If Hope Uzodinma survives removal through the court, he still has the issue of getting the party’s 2023 ticket to contend with. With the dissolution of the party structure by the NEC, and handing over of the leadership of the party to Nlemigbo, Uzodinma seems to be in charge at the moment.
However, faced with very powerful forces like Senator Rochas Okorocha and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, with even more cash to throw around than he might be at liberty to do at the moment, there are still likeliness that the rug can be pulled from under his feet.
Araraume has severally caused serious upsets in political parties in the state, coming from nowhere to either emerge winner of the primaries, or like in the 2015 PDP primaries, be narrowly denied victory.
In both cases, he joined the parties barely a month to their primaries.
With Rochas Okorocha backing him, Uzodinma may not find 2023 primaries easy, and with Buhari leaving office then, much help might not come for him from the presidency.
There are still other forces within the state working to undermine Uzodinma, and his inability to pay pensioners and Civil Servants haven’t helped him gain acceptance with the people, and may all work together to ensure he is not returned as Govenror in 2023.
If Hope Uzodinma does not find a way to overcome these numerous obstacles circling around him, he may, like Chief Sam Mbakwe and Dr Ikedi Ohakim, become a one-term Govenror, if he is even referred to as a former Govenror at all should the court kick him out.
