Senate 2023 Updates: Imo: How Mrs Akeredolu Tackled Uzodimma, Chased Out; Gov Ayade Loses; Victor Umeh Too; Oshiomhole Wins

By Adesina Soyooye and Akinwale Kasali

It was not her first shot at Politics. She had contested for an elective office before – long before her husband became the Governor of Ondo State. Even though she was not successful, she was treated a little fairly, with respect

This time , 2022, it was different. Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, wife of the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, was “harrassed. She literally saw hell. But not a woman to be harrassed, she gave back hell for hell, fire for fire. She refused to be cowed. She insisted  on what she thought, and felt, was due process. It is a democracy, afterall. In the end, she lost out. The good thing: She did not bow out quietly. She made her points. Held her head high. Her dignity intact.

Not a few people were surprised when the Imo State-born First Lady of Ondo State declared her interest in running for the Senatorial seat of Owerri Senatorial zone – Imo East. Even though she is an Owerri daughter, from Emeabiam,  and well-grounded in her Zone, many felt she stood no chance of winning.

Very capable, competent, deep, the reason for the doubt was not in her ability to represent the zone, it was   if she would be given a level playing ground to contest.

Even at that, some people  thought she would have that.

Her husband is an APC Governor. Imo State is an APC State which Governor is also APC – Senator Hope Uzodinma.

So, she went to work to achieve her ambition. For months before she made public her aspiration, she weaved her basket – being present at a number of high profile events in the State, visiting community leaders and traditional rulers, talking to, and mentoring youths, expecially, the girl-child, using her Foundations to enlighten many, especially, women, on the importance of taking care of their health, simplified breast cancer, being a survivor, and garnering awards, including from the Correspondent’s Chapel, Imo State NUJ, and the prestigious “Ada Owere” Chieftaincy title conferred on her by Owerri Traditional Rulers. She prepared well. And campaigned hard.

Things began to fall apart for her two days to the APC Senatorial Primaries in the State which held on Saturday, May 28. She said all the candidates were called and asked to step down. She refused. She said they were asked to step down for an aspirant who had just picked his forms.

But the real hell was on Saturday, the day of the election. Wearing a pair of blue jean trousers and a tee-shirt, she stormed the APC Secretariat where she went to complain about the unfairness of the procedure, and asking her to step down.  She said she was not for consensus; that election must take place. She tackled the Governor, Uzodinma, and told him off for his role in hijacking the National Assembly elections  which she said is very critical.

But except for Reporters and her supporters, nobody listened to her. She was finally chased out, literally.

The real trouble began when her supporters insisted voting must take place. Confusion ensued.  And then, a stampede.

Everybody scampered to safety. Policemen then chased her and her supporters outside to continue with her protest.

Addressing the Press, she said:  ”I am insisting that we must go by delegate election. I cannot waste time and resources campaigning only to be told that candidates would emerge by consensus. We must vote and if I lose gallantly, I will accept the result.

Governor Ayade Loses APC Senatorial Primary

Prof. Ben Ayade, Cross Rivers State Governor, apparently, bought two forms  –  one for Presidential election, and the other for the Senatorial seat of his District, Cross Rivers State North.

But on Saturday, his ambition came  crashing. He failed hard, taking the third position.

The Incumbent Governor lost his bid as the result declared by the party saw  Cecilia Adams emerge winner after polling a total number of 140 votes, while Ayade came a distant third position with just 52 votes.

Ayade, who had initially declared for presidential seat under the APC, calmed down when he couldn’t play the game with the “big boys”.  He became the first sitting governor to lose a primary election in the 2023 Primaries.

But his spokesman, Christian Ita, denied that his boss took part in any Senatorial Primary election.

In a statement, he said:

Anambra APGA: Victor Umeh Loses

The profile of the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, did not help him. A former Senator, he is, also, reportedly close to the Governor, Professor Charles Soludo.

But on Saturday, none of those mattered. Umeh lost the bid to represent his Anambra Central District in the Senate.

He was roundly defeated by  a member of the House of Representatives Dozie Nwankwo.

Nwankwo is currently the member representing Njikoka/Anaocha/Dunukofia Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives.

Oshiomhole Resurfaces

“The attention of the Cross River state government has been drawn to a video circulating in cyberspace purporting to be a parallel All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primaries for Northern Cross River where His Excellency, Professor Ben Ayade was listed as a participant.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we hereby state clearly that Governor Ayade did not take part in any senatorial primaries.

“His Excellency is a Presidential aspirant who will be taking part in the APC presidential convention now slated for June 6.

“We make bold to say that the so-called parallel primary election as contained in the said video was at best a poorly scripted skit comedy shot by three persons sitting in a room.

“The sham video is indeed a joke taken too far. It was a vapid, infantile but failed attempt at manipulation as the clowns behind it tragically forgot to also manufacture ballot boxes, delegates, observers and APC panel members.

“It was a handiwork of political desperadoes who are out to embarrass the governor.

“We wish to assure teeming APC members and supporters, particularly in Northern Cross River, that there was no parallel Senatorial primaries  in the district.

“The only valid and recognised senatorial primaries that took place in Ogoja and which was won by the former Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon Martin Orim and which does not have Ayade on the ballot, was monitored by the INEC and representatives from APC’s National Secretariat.

“The purported video suggesting a parallel exercise should therefore be ignored.”

In Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, the sacked National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, bounced back.

He rose from a political cemetery, to clinch, unopposed, the Senatorial ticket for his Edo North District.

His opponent, Senator Francis Alimikhena, on Friday resigned his membership of the party and stepped down as an aspirant of the party.