Here are 10 things to know about the new governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodinma
- Senator Hope Uzodinma picked the APC ticket seven months after he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
- Uzodinma came fourth behind Emeka Ihedioha (PDP), Nwosu (Action Alliance) and Ifeanyi Ararume (All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
- While Ihedioha polled 273,404 votes, Nwosu, Ararume and Uzodinma secured 190,364; 114,676; and 96,458 votes respectively. Uzodinma challenged the victory of Ihedioha up to the apex court and won.
- Uzodinma became prominent in Imo politics in the early 2000s as a PDP member. In 2003, he ran for governor of the state on the ticket of Alliance for Democracy (AD) but he did not win.
- He returned to the PDP and in 2006 and sought the ticket of the party to contest the governorship election again but lost at the primary poll to Ararume.
- Uzodinma who was later appointed a PDP board of trustees (BoT) member, was first elected into the Senate in 2011. He was reelected in 2015.
- Before the 2000s, Uzodinma was the youth leader of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in Imo in the second republic. He was also a prominent member of the now-defunct United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP).
- He also has been involved in the oil and gas sector through SMIEC Chemical Engineering & Construction Company Limited, his company, which he used to execute many projects for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
- He obtained his secondary school certificate from Mgbidi Secondary School, Orlu west in 1982.
- Uzodinma has a bachelor’s degree in international studies and a diploma in transport studies. He is also a recipient of an honorary doctorate degree from the Imo state university.
