From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
Barely four months to the governorship election in Imo State, the fortune of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the State appears shaky as one of its strongest leaders, Dr. (Mrs) Kema Chikwe, has announced her retirement from partisan politics.
She also reportedly three her weight behind the re-election bid of the incumbent Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma of All Progressive Congress (APC) for another term.
There’s every indication that Chikwe’s positions have not only left the PDP candidate for the November 11 governorship election, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and his campaign team at the crossroads, but has pierced the soul of a party already suffering from self inflicted crises with a sharper knife.
According to Mr. Oguwike Nwachuku, the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodimma, in a press statement issued in Owerri and circulated to media houses over the weekend, “it has become obvious that the loss of the PDP has become the gain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as Chikwe is strongly throwing her weight behind other calls from well meaning Imo people and groups for the reelection of Governor Uzodimma for a second term in office based on the governor’s outstanding performance.
“At the 6th Anniversary of the Women Leadership Institute (WLI), a body formed by Dr. Chikwe to mentor women in politics and other ventures, in Abuja at the weekend, she proudly endorsed Governor Uzodimma for re-election and proceeded to announce that she had quit partisan politics.”
According to the statement, she said Governor Uzodimma has lived up to public expectations in office with regard to his programmes, policies and projects that are both people-oriented and life changing.
The anniversary, which had Governor Uzodimma in attendance former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim; former PDP National Vice Chairman (South East), Nze Fidelis Ozikwukwu Chukwu; among other key national political figures across party lines, was an opportunity Dr. Chikwe used to remind the audience of her foray into partisan politics.
For instance, in the course of her foray into partisan politics, she became a former Aviation Minister, former PDP National Women Leader and Board of Trustees member, former Ambassador of Nigeria to the Ireland, former Chairman of Board of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) among others.
When the PDP was like a behemoth in the political firmament of the country, looming large in all directions, politically and otherwise, she was a rallying point for major political activities, both nationally and in the State.
In Imo State, she became a strong ally of key PDP figures like Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu among others, until recently.
In what her associates described as “based on principle”, Dr. Chikwe not long ago parted ways with Emeka Ihedioha and got more inclined towards Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the PDP National Secretary and candidate for the Imo State governorship election in November 11, 2023.
