Imo 2019 Guber: Odds Favours Okey Eze. (feature)

• As Catholics and Pentecostals unite for him

• SDP singles Imo out as must-win

The 2019 governorship pendulum in Imo State seems to be swinging towards the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Sir Okey Ezeh. Strong indications have emerged that within the critical segments of the Imo citizenry, especially the academia, clergy, organised labour, market unions and socio-cultural groups, the renowned investment banker appears to dominate the scale of preference.

A voxpop carried out in this regard reveals that Sir Ezeh has made matchless inroads into most of the segments, tacitly securing their support and moving even silently to conquer new fronts.

Speaking to newsmen in Owerri, a source who pleaded anonymity confirmed that the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and the Catholic Church are set to team up in their support to ensure that Sir Okey Ezeh, who is a respected Knight of the Catholic Church, is elected come 2019.

The source also said the choice of his running mate, Pastor (Dr.) Casmir Ihegworo, who is a key player in the Imo State Pentecostal Family, has given Sir Ezeh an unbeatable lead in the race.

Also, the amalgamation of professional bodies and various unions in Imo State with their template for selection of the next governor of the may have confirmed that they are set to throw their weight behind Sir Okey Ezeh, as by the standards they have set it is only set Sir Okey Ezeh qualities to secure their support among the array of contestants in the race.

The amalgamation specifically highlighted that the next governor of the State must be a technocrat, without any record of fraud, from Owerri Zone, with a development blueprint and that has unassailable integrity. These requirements have entirely screened out the rest but Sir Okey Ezeh.

Moved by the general acceptability which the candidature of Sir Okey Ezeh has been garnering, the National Leadership of the SDP seems to have marked Imo out as one State which the Party must win come 2019. In demonstration of this resolve, the Party has selected Imo as the venue for its South East Zonal Flag-Off, an event which will also bring all the SDP stakeholders and faithful from the South South and the Nation at large to Imo State.

With APC in disarray, PDP in crisis and APGA with growing suspicion of disloyalty to the governorship candidate by the party faithful, Sir Okey Ezeh of the SDP has become the man to watch at the polls.