Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has declared his interest to contest for the Imo West Senatorial District seat in 2027. Mr Uzodimma, who is serving his second term as governor, announced this in a post on his X handle on Sunday. The post reads, “My dear people of Imo West Senatorial District have once again called upon me to serve, and I have accepted this noble call with utmost humility, sincerity of purpose, and unwavering commitment to the collective advancement of our people”.
The governor explained that in furtherance of the call to serve, he has presented himself before the leadership of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Screening Committee for the National Assembly Primary Election.
“During the engagement, I reaffirmed that the senatorial seat I seek to occupy belongs first and foremost to our great party, while I remain only a loyal and dedicated candidate entrusted with the responsibility of projecting and advancing the ideals, vision, and aspirations of the APC to the very best of my ability,” he said.
Mr Uzodimma earlier represented the district in the Senate from 6 June 2011 to 9 June 2019.
The governor said that his latest move to represent the district for the third time was “inspired by the desire to consolidate the gains of the Renewed Hope administration of President Bola Tinubu through quality representation, effective legislation, enhanced development, and sustainable progress for our people and our nation.”
Governorship seat vs Senate seat
Mr Uzodimma’s has just spent two years and four months into his second tenure of four years.
He became governor of Imo State in 2020 through the Supreme Court after the then-governor, Emeka Ihedioha, was sacked by the court and crowned Mr Uzodimma, who came fourth in the 2019 election, as the validly elected governor of the state.
His second term in office will elapse by January 2028. Meanwhile, the next Senate is expected to be inaugurated in June 2027.
Apart from Mr Uzodimma, a former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, and a former senator, Osita Izunaso, are in the same race for the APC ticket to represent the same district in the Senate.
While Mr Okorocha represented the district from 2019 to 2023, Mr Izunaso is the incumbent senator for the district.
The three of them are members of the APC.
