~ As jostle for control of Imo ADC rages
The unfolding political drama in Imo State ahead of the 2027 general elections has taken a new turn, as six heavyweight political figures, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Dr. Chima Amadi, Senator Athan Achonu, among others set to lock horns in what is shaping up to be an epic internal battle for the governorship ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Following the formal unveiling of ADC as the new opposition platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a web of power dynamics is emerging, revealing not just a coalition but a battleground of contending ambitions and control of the soul of the party.
The return of former Imo State Governor Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, to the political centre stage, after his resignation from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), set the tone for what now looks like a power struggle within the newly adopted ADC.
Addressing members of his Rebuild Imo Movement, Wednesday in Owerri, Ihedioha, who returned to Owerri shortly after the formal unveiling of the ADC, declared his allegiance to the ADC and instructed his supporters to migrate en masse to the party, an indication of his intent to control the party’s structure in the state ahead of the 2027 elections.
But any hope of an uncontested return, according to findings, is already complicated by the towering influence and popularity of Dr. Chima Amadi, youthful technocrat and leader of The Mazi Organization (TMO), a rising political force with formidable grassroots machinery across the 27 LGAs of Imo State.
Dr. Chima Amadi, a key player in the formation of the coalition, according to reports, is set to emerge as a formidable force within the ADC. An astute administrator with deep political instincts and a robust grassroots base, Amadi’s growing popularity and acceptance is backed by a solid base of Imo political honchos, including serving National Assembly members such as Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere (Ideato Federal Constituency), Hon. Matthew Nwogu (Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala), and Rt. Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo, a former Rep and ex Deputy Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly
Sources revealed that Amadi is also reportedly enjoying the support of Rt. Hon. Uche Ogbuagu, former Majority Leader of the Imo House of Assembly, who is widely believed to have won the Mbaitoli/Ikeduru seat in the 2023 general election. Sources also hinted that some current members of the State Assembly are also in talks with Amadi, should they be denied return ticket or in an event of a wave of defections to the ADC.
Widely seen as the dark horse in the race, Amadi’s quiet but strategic build-up has positioned him as a serious challenger to Ihedioha’s dominance in Owerri Zone. With deep financial base and critical contacts in very high places, Amadi is considered the aspirant to watch especially given reports that the camp of Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba, former Minister of Education and 2023 APC presidential aspirant, rumoured to nurse presidential ambition in the 2027, may be tilting in his favour.
In a remarkable twist, a section of the chieftains and executives of the APC, PDP, Labour Party and other parties across the state have either openly dumped their parties for Amadi or are in covert alliance with him, further expanding his support base and consolidating his grip on the evolving political realignment.
As at the time of filing this report, a reliable source hinted that Amadi, like other key leaders of the coalition, has not marshalled directives to his base on the movement to the ADC, but rather is tidying up other areas of collaboration and alliances with various camps and interest groups.
“He is playing the long game,” the source disclosed. “Dr. Amadi is consulting widely. He knows timing and structure are everything. He’s not in a hurry to move his base until the interests and foundational cracks within the opposition landscape are fully negotiated”, hinted the source in Amadi’s camp who is familiar with high level meetings.
Nwajiuba, known for his tactical restraint and political finesse, has not made any public declarations. However, insiders suggest he is an influential bloc within the opposition coalition who views Amadi as a modern face of governance, capable of giving APC’s Hope Uzodinma a real contest in 2027. If he formally endorses Amadi, it could deal a major blow to other contenders.
Yet another major figure in the race is Senator Athan Achonu, the Labour Party’s 2023 governorship candidate, who is now rumored to be heading to ADC in a bid to re-enter the governorship race. Achonu, a dogged contender with an established electoral network and war chest, is believed to be quietly rebuilding his support base across key senatorial zones.
With Ihedioha commanding a robust political history and structure, Amadi riding on youth/women-driven aggressive grassroots momentum, Achonu reactivating his electoral capital and strategies and Nwajiuba offering a consequential federal leverage, the ADC ticket has never been more coveted or more contested.
Political observers say the race is not just about personalities. It is about the future of opposition politics in Imo State. If mismanaged, the emerging fault lines could splinter the coalition before it even finds its footing. But if negotiated with maturity, the ADC could emerge as the strongest opposition force since 2011.
In this context, IMO political analysts are unanimous in their call for an open, transparent, and credible congresses as well as primary election process at all levels within the party. Anything short of that, they warn, would not only jeopardize internal cohesion but also plunge the ADC into a potentially irreconcilable crisis that could mar the coalition before the real contest with the APC even begins.
“Imo voters are watching closely,” one analyst noted. “They want a real alternative to the APC and not recycled career politicians under a different banner. If the ADC fails to prove it can manage the various tendencies with fairness, and probably usher in a young and vibrant candidate that will appeal to the youths, it will lose the momentum and consensus it currently enjoys.”
At the heart of the contest is the control of ADC’s state structure and the question of zoning. Ihedioha and Amadi hail from Owerri zone, while Achonu and Nwajiuba are from Okigwe zone. How the party navigates these interests and zonal balance will significantly shape its direction.
According to insider sources, a number of political heavyweights in Imo State are also considering the ADC to fight for the governorship ticket and other elective positions, a development that could further complicate the process if leadership of the party does not ensure fair, credible and transparent processes.
For now, the ADC’s strength is also its weakness. The days ahead will test the coalition’s cohesion, as gladiators press for supremacy in what is increasingly becoming a contest of influence, capacity, and vision.
With Uzodinma already strategizing for a successor and the APC machinery still entrenched, the ADC must quickly resolve its internal equations particularly which zone produces the gubernatorial flag bearer or risk imploding under the weight of its own ambition.
2027 may still be two years away, but for Imo’s political heavyweights, the battle has already begun and the ADC.
