With the announcement yesterday the 15th of April 2023, of Senator Athan Achonu, as winner of the Imo State Labour Party Governorship primaries, three former senators of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, have become the major faces to watch out for as the November 11th Governorship election draws closer.

In the All Progressives Congress APC, the current governor, who emerged winner of the party's primaries, Senator Hope Uzodimma, was a Senator of the PDP for two terms.
Uzodimma represented Orlu zone at the Red Chamber before he contested for the Governorship seat in 2019 after the crisis that forced him out of the party, and would emerge winner after the Supreme Court ruled in his favour, eight months after a former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha had been declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.

In the PDP, the National Secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu Samdaddy, recently emerged flagbearer of the party, following the withdrawal of Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha from the race.

Senator Samuel Anyanwu was a Senator who represented Owerri zone for a single term before he faced off against Ihedioha in 2018/19 at the PDP primaries and lost to the Mbaise born politician under controversial circumstances.

A lot of party faithfuls still believe he won Ihedioha at the primaries but the Supreme Court thought otherwise.

Samdaddy would later became National Secretary of the party, a position he is currently occupying while still the flagbearer of the party.

Senator Athan Achonu on the other hand was a Senator from Okigwe Zone but unlike others, he didn't complete a term, as he was kicked out of office by the late Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu who was of the APC.

All three won their senate seats through the PDP.

Like the presidential race, the contest in Imo State is also seen as a three-horse race between the three parties.

While it is unclear if Ihedioha would pull a last minute surprise and emerge from another party, the winner of the Imo Governorship election has now been narrowed down to the three former PDP senators.