The fortune of the People’s Democratic Party in Imo State has continued to decline, each passing moment, with one of her strongest leaders and member, Mrs. Kema Chikwe, announcing her retirement from partisan politics and endorsing the re-election of the incumbent Governor, Hope Uzodimma, for another term.
Chikwe’s position has not only left the PDP candidate for the November 11 governorship election, Samuel Anyanwu and his campaign train at the crossroads, but has pierced the soul of a Party already suffering from self-inflicted crisis with a sharper knife.
However, the loss of the PDP has become the gain of the ruling All Progressives Congress 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, a body formed by 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.
She said Governor Uzodimma has lived up to public expectations in office with regard to his programmes and projects that are both people-oriented and life changing.
The anniversary which had Governor Uzodimma himself in attendance, former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, former PDP National Vice Chairman (South East), Fidelis Ozikwukwu Chukwu, among other key national political figures across party lines, was an opportunity Chikwe used to remind the audience of her foray into partisan politics.
For example, in the course of Chikwe’s 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 Ireland, former Chairman of Board of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, among others.
When the PDP was like a behemoth in the political firmament of the country, looming large in all directions, politically and otherwise, Chikwe became a rallying point for major political activities, both nationally and in Imo State.
In Imo State, she became a strong ally of key PDP figures like Emeka Ihedioha, Samuel Anyanwu among others, until recently.
On what her associates described as “based on principle”, Chikwe not long ago parted ways with Ihedioha and got more inclined towards Anyanwu, the PDP National Secretary and candidate for the Imo State governorship election in November 11, 2023.
