Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), ahead November 11, Governorship election in the state has forwarded name of the serving Commissioner for Works, Ralph Obiora Nwosu as his running mate.

In pursuance to the deadline for submission of Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates, Uzodinma against all odds, submitted name of his kinsman and serving Commissioner to deputize him.

This development which has generated mixed reactions in the state has sent shivers to Political associates and leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, particularly in Owerri and Okigwe Zones who are scheming to clinch the deputy Governorship seat.

It was learnt that with the new Electoral guideline, it will be difficult to substitute a Candidate even if the intention of the Governor was to first meet up with the INEC deadline by forwarding the name of a placeholder as against the authentic deputy Governorship Candidate.

Uzodinma sources disclosed that if the Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidential Muslim-Muslim Ticket could sail through then chosing an Orlu-For-Orlu deputy Governorship Candidate can also fly. The governor prefers an Orlu brother whom he has known and worked with for the past 40 years to deputize him, the source disclosed.

Also, another source close to the Governor revealed that Uzodinma prefers a close ally to deputize him to using strangers that may end up exposing his plans ahead of the November 11, 2023 election.

Meanwhile, Imolites have raised alarm over what they described as a conscious attempt by Uzodinma to displace Owerri and Okigwe Zones of their constitutional rights to emerge as deputy Governor of the state under the platform of a political party they worked hard to build in the state.