By  Chidi Nkwopora
The three senators currently representing Imo State in the National Assembly, Senators Chris Anyanwu, Owerri Zone; Osita Izunaso and Sylvester Anyanwu for Orlu and Okigwe zones, have crashed out of the party primaries on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

While Sylvester Anyanwu chose a soft-landing by decamping to Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, ahead of the primaries, Dr. Kema Chikwe and Chief Hope Uzodinma roundly beat the incumbents in the contest.

In Okigwe senatorial zone, Ambassador Matthew Nwagwu secured the slot with a score of 2,128, leaving the immediate past Secretary to the Government of Imo State, SSG, Chief Cosmas Iwu, and Mrs. Comfort Chinwe Chukwu with 129 and 37 votes respectively.

In Orlu zone, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Hope Uzodinma, garnered a staggering 2,147 votes to place Chief Osita Izunaso that managed just 891 votes to the second position.

The story was the same in Owerri zone where the immediate past Nigerian ambassador to Ireland and Iceland, Mrs. Chikwe, roundly floored Mrs. Chris Anyanwu.

While Chikwe scored 1,084, Mrs. Anyanwu, Greg Egu and Mrs. Ugochi Nnanna-Okoro garnered 931; 183 and 60 votes respectively.

Speaking to Vanguard in a telephone interview, Chikwe commended Governor Ikedi Ohakim for remaining completely neutral in the contest.

“It is a thing of joy that the governor, Chief Ohakim, left all the contestants to test their popularity among the people. This is part of the paradigm shift the governor has been preaching,” Mrs. Chikwe said.