Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, has withdrawn from the Imo State gubernatorial primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The politician announced his decision in a letter addressed to the PDP National Chairman on March 27, 2023. In the letter, Ihedioha stated that he had reflected on many issues, including the state of the PDP in Imo State, upon reaching 58 years of age last week.
Ihedioha, who is a founding member of the PDP since 1998, aligned himself with the request made by the Imo State chapter of the PDP to the National Working Committee (NWC) for a consensus choice of candidate for the 2023 governorship primaries. He decided to withdraw from further participation in the processes leading to the emergence of the gubernatorial candidate in the interest of harmony and unity of the party.
Already cleared to contest the primary election with Ihedioha is Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who lost the primary election to Ihedioha in 2018. The primary election promises to be a keen contest, with both men locked in a game of wits to outsmart one another.
Ihedioha’s decision has left some of his supporters disappointed, with some taking to their social media handles to lament the development. However, Ihedioha did not give any pointers to leaving the party. It is worth noting that Ihedioha was elected governor in the 2019 general election for seven months before the Supreme Court announced Governor Hope Uzodimma as the rightful winner, even though the latter came fourth in the election according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).