Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi and two other top contenders are bracing for an epic contest in their quest to clinch the Ebonyi South Senatorial seat in the February 25, 2023, presidential and National Assembly elections, Daily Trust reports.
The two others eyeing the seat alongside Umahi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), are Senator Michael Ama Nnachi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Hon. Linus Abah Okorie of Labour Party (LP).
Sen. Michael Ama Nnachi
Ama Nnachi is a seasoned politician and a quantity surveyor by profession. He is the current senator representing Ebonyi South Senatorial District. He was elected on the platform of the PDP in 2019 and is seeking re-election.
Presently in the 9th Senate, the senator is the vice-chairman of the Senate Committee on Air Force. He hails from Afikpo South (Edda) LGA of the state.
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He came to the Senate through the help of Governor David Umahi, sources said.
He had, before 2015, contested for the House of Representatives for Afikpo North and South on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).
Senator Nnachi, as a first-timer, lacks the strong political structure expected to drive votes from Ohanzara and an outright win in his LGA (Afikpo South) in 2023.
Also, Ama Nnachi has no strong political clout and would be challenged with the one-tenure accord entered into by stakeholders of the zone.
The accord, which is strong, had been honoured since the return of democracy in 1999, except for Sen. Sonny Ogbuoji who made it to the Red Chamber twice. Though, Sen. Ogbuoji’s exceptional case was based on the political crisis that engulfed the state in 2015.
Another odd against Nnachi is the criticism that he has not done many meaningful projects for the people of his constituency since he was elected senator, representing Ebonyi South district.
Notwithstanding the odds, the chance of Sen. Ama-Nnachi clinching the seat in the 10th hallow chamber in 2023 is still bright.
This is because, among the five local government areas in the zone, the senator has an upper hand in three, according to pundits.
These three LGAs are not only more familiar with the umbrella symbol (PDP) than that of the ruling party but have remained a strong PDP-dominated zone in the state
Therefore, the incumbent senator would be riding on the back and support of some stakeholders like the present House of Representatives Member, Hon. Idu-Igariwey, to win Afikpo North.
The senator would also be banking on the clout of the former Senate president/Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Pius Anyim.
And in Onicha, which is second in the overall voting strength in the entire state, Nanchi would be banking on the likes of PDP South East vice chairman, Hon. Ali Odefa, and governorship candidate of the party, Hon. Ifeanyichukwuma Odii, among others to win outright.
Governor David Umahi
After he lost the presidential ticket of the APC to Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Governor Umahi made a victorious U-turn to clinch the Ebonyi South senatorial ticket under the party for the next elections.
As of the time Umahi indicated interest, the senatorial ticket of the APC for Ebonyi South was said to have been won by Mrs Ann Agom-Eze.
But the governor’s clinching of the ticket began to be brightened after the party conducted the primary of the zone a second time to pave way for Umahi’s emergence.
However, the matter did not rest there until recently when a Supreme Court ruled against Mrs Agom-Eze who was said to be the initial winner of the ticket.
The incumbent governor, however, would be favoured in all the polls because his administration has meaningful and life-transforming projects in all five local government areas of Ebonyi South Zone.
These range from access roads to the multi-billion naira completed Iyere Edda Bridge, Amasiri and Abaomege flyover as well as the twin flyover in Uburu which is the hometown of the governor.
Apart from leveraging on the projects executed in the zone, Umahi would also be banking on the power of incumbency as his retinue of lieutenants such as commissioners, special assistants, council chairmen and councillors, among others will be all out to mobilise votes.
Again, if Umahi’s plan works out, he would gather many votes from Afikpo South LGA with the backing of the likes of the former chairman of the area, Barr. Eni Iduma Chima, including his present council chairman of Ohanzara, Hon. Consider.
Notwithstanding the strength, winning the senatorial seat would not be a tea party for Umahi as he appears to have more advantages in only two out of the five local government areas that make up the zone.
Another odd against Umahi is that Ebonyi South has never been an ‘APC catchment zone’ in any election in the past and as such, it would be an epic battle for Umahi to clinch the seat on the APC platform.
Another issue is that majority of the stakeholders and political bigwigs who are likely to determine the political climate in the zone with their teeming supporters are still intact and ready to maintain the status quo.
Daily Trust learnt that Afikpo South has over 71,000 registered voters in the last concluded voters registration exercise.
Therefore, Umahi needs to spread his campaign net to Onicha, Afikpo North and Ivo to advance his chances at the poll.
Hon. Linus Abah Okorie
During his reign as a member of the House of Representatives for Ohanzara, Ivo and Onicha, Okorie launched the most aggressive and stunning agricultural empowerment programme. This made him relevant and raised his political stature higher.
Okorie trained and empowered 4,999 youths and women in various agricultural value chain programmes.
As a federal lawmaker then, Okorie sponsored 20 bills and several motions with some having a direct impact on the needs of the people of his constituency.
As the chairman, House Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, he played a great role in the infrastructural transformation of the Federal College of Agriculture in Ishiagu, Ivo LGA of the state.
Also, in the 2015 elections and governorship race, the former lawmaker was spotted as one major player that fought to install the incumbent governor.
He also has a formidable political structure which to date is visible in the political circle in the zone, essentially in Onicha, Ohanzara and Ivo LGAs.
However, there was a dramatic turn of events following his alleged abduction and arrest by members of the Ebubeagu security outfit who handed him over to the police for prosecution
Okorie, who is the founder of the Caring Heart Foundation, was reportedly abducted on October 17, 2022, in Abakaliki metropolis.
Daily Trust gathered that the former lawmaker spent about one month in a correctional centre in Abakaliki.
Analysts believe that the arrest of Okorie was orchestrated by the powers that be to intimidate, de-market and make him chicken out of the race.
But after many appearances in courts, a ‘political solution’ was reached as the matter was eventually settled seeing to the release of Okorie on November 29.
It could be recalled that after his release, Mr Okorie thanked Umahi and his elder brother, Roy Umahi, for the roles both played in his release.
Okorie is a formidable contender but the dramatic turn of events might constitute a clog in the wheel of his senatorial aspiration.
Only time will tell who clinches the Ebonyi South senatorial seat at the end of the day.
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