By Chinenye Onwusonye
A former Commissioner for Foreign Affairs in Imo State, Mr. Fabian Ihekweme, and a former member of the Imo State House of Assembly, Mr. Kingsley Dimaku, have defected to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), fueling speculations about their possible bids for elective offices ahead of upcoming elections in the state.
The duo were sighted on Wednesday and Thursday respectively at separate strategic meetings with the six local government chairmen of APGA in the Okigwe Zone, alongside some state-level party executives. Okeomanews gathered that the meetings were aimed at strengthening the party’s structure in the zone and mapping out future political strategies.
Credible sources, who spoke to this newspaper on condition of anonymity, disclosed that Ihekweme, who hails from Obowo Local Government Area, is considering contesting the Okigwe Senatorial seat in the 2027 general elections on the platform of APGA. Similarly, Dimaku, who represented Ehime Mbano State Constituency between 2011 and 2015, is said to be weighing a bid for the Okigwe South Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives in the next election cycle.
Ihekweme, a former ally of Governor Hope Uzodimma, was arrested in Abuja in 2025 and subsequently detained in Owerri following alleged critical comments against the governor and the state government. Known for his strategic political acumen, he was also a prominent figure in the Obidient Movement in Imo State, which delivered a significant number of votes for the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, during the 2023 general elections.
Dimaku, on the other hand, is widely regarded as a grassroots politician and business mogul, reputed for his modern and refined approach to politics and his strong goodwill among constituents.
Meanwhile, the incumbent Senator representing Okigwe Zone, Mr. Patrick Ndubueze, is yet to declare whether he will seek re-election, just as Mr. Chike Okafor, the current member representing Okigwe South Federal Constituency, has not indicated if he intends to run for a third term.
