2027 General Election: Why I want to contest -Ikukundu

By Eze Adiuku

What is your name?

My name is Benjamin Ikechukwu Anyanwu, known to my community and supporters as Ikukundu. I am from Umuegwu, Ekwerazu, in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, and I am from Mpam Electoral Ward. By profession, I am a Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure Professional and Consultant, and I currently serve as the Chief Technical Officer of GLO1 Submarine Cable Systems, a subsidiary of the Globacom Group. I am also an active grassroots civic and political participant and a committed member of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

.The political cloud ahead of 2027 is gathering. What do you make of the next election season? Will it be violence free and will votes count?

The 2027 election season will be very important for Nigeria, and naturally there will be tension, strong interests, and heightened political activity. However, I believe it may not be as tense as 2023, partly because the opposition space appears more fragmented now than it was then. That said, I still believe it is possible for the elections to be peaceful and for votes to count if all stakeholders act responsibly.

As for Governor Hope Uzodimma, I believe he understands the importance of leadership, inclusion, and stability. He is the leader of our party in Imo and the sitting Governor, so his words on the Charter carry serious weight. I believe he understands that confidence in such a principle is important for the long-term peace and progress of our state.

My view is that democracy only grows when the people believe their votes truly matter. Political parties, candidates, security agencies, the media, and the voters themselves all have a role to play in ensuring that elections are credible and peaceful. We must reject violence, vote buying, intimidation, and every form of manipulation that weakens public trust.

I remain hopeful because Nigeria has gone through difficult election cycles before, yet our democracy is still standing. What we need going into 2027 is greater maturity, stronger institutions, issue-based campaigns, and a shared commitment to protecting the sanctity of the ballot.

The Gubernatorial election in Imo State is an off-season election. Where do you honestly wish the next Governor to come from? Also, do you believe that Senator Hope Uzodimma will stand with the statement credited to him that he stands with the Imo Charter of Equity?

I believe in fairness, justice, and political balance. In my view, the peace and stability of Imo State are better preserved when every zone feels a sense of belonging. That is why the Imo Charter of Equity remains an important moral and political framework in the state.

As for Governor Hope Uzodimma, I believe he understands the importance of leadership, inclusion, and stability. He is the leader of our party in Imo and the sitting Governor, so his words on the Charter carry serious weight. I believe he understands that confidence in such a principle is important for the long-term peace and progress of our state.

That said, my position is that this conversation should not be reduced to geography alone. Equity is important, but governance must also be about competence, vision, character, and delivery. Imo needs leadership that respects fairness and also has the capacity to move the state forward.

Are you warming up to seriously contest for a political position? If yes, which position, under which political party and why?

Yes, I am. I am fully prepared and becoming more deliberate about offering myself for public service.

I intend to contest for the Ahiazu Mbaise State Constituency seat in the Imo State House of Assembly in 2027, under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

My choice of APC is clear because APC is my party, and I believe meaningful change is best pursued from within a structure where one can contribute, influence direction, and help strengthen governance. I am not entering politics to add to the noise. I am stepping forward because I believe Ahiazu deserves representation that is informed, accessible, disciplined, and development-minded.

Why the House of Assembly? Because that is one of the closest points of contact between leadership and the people. It is a place for real representation, advocacy, oversight, and constituency-focused development. I believe Ahiazu needs a voice that understands both the realities of the grassroots and the discipline required to build sustainable progress.

The political space seems to be shrinking to a point that many say we don’t have democracy in Nigeria but rather civilian autocracy. Do you think our democracy has improved or deteriorated since the All Progressives Congress, APC, took over in 2015?

I do not subscribe to the idea that Nigeria no longer has democracy. Our democracy may be imperfect, and yes, there are legitimate concerns about institutions, accountability, political conduct, and the pressures facing the people, but democracy in Nigeria is still alive.

Since 2015, there have been challenges, no doubt. But there have also been areas of democratic growth, including stronger public awareness, more scrutiny of public office holders, and more active civic participation. Nigerians today are more politically conscious and more willing to question leadership and demand accountability.

My honest view is that our democracy is still evolving. It has not fully matured, but it has not collapsed either. What we need is to deepen internal party democracy, strengthen our institutions, improve electoral credibility, and ensure that governance delivers real value to the people.

As a member of APC, I believe our party has a responsibility not only to win elections, but also to strengthen confidence in democracy through inclusion, performance, and visible governance. Democracy should not only be defended in words. It must be felt in the daily lives of the people.

As an Mbaise born politician, do you see Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha bouncing back to reckoning politically in Imo?

Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is certainly not a small figure in Imo politics. He has experience, visibility, and a political history that cannot simply be ignored. So, in that sense, nobody should dismiss him lightly.

However, politics is not only about name recognition or past office. It is also about record, memory, and what the people can point to as evidence of impact. From the standpoint of many of us in Mbaise, one of the disappointments associated with his time in office was the inability to give the needed urgency and priority to strategic roads that are central to the movement, economy, and daily life of our people, especially the Owerri-Mbaise-Umuahia Road and the Aba Branch axis.

Today, under the APC government ably led by Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, we have seen real and visible progress in road infrastructure affecting our area. For our people, these are not abstract political claims. They are practical developments with direct impact on travel, trade, movement, and economic life. The Mbaise nation will remain grateful to the APC government for these and other meaningful interventions.

At the same time, I want to respectfully use this opportunity to draw the attention of His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, to another critical need in our axis, namely the long-abandoned Ekwerazu and Ahiara regional water schemes. These are projects whose revival can transform public health, restore dignity, and bring direct relief to our people. I believe this is the kind of development attention that should continue.

So, can Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha remain politically relevant? Yes, politics is dynamic, and nobody should be dismissed lightly. But in the end, the people will judge based on performance, relevance, and who they believe is more connected to their present hopes and needs. In my view, Senator Hope Uzodimma and the APC have, by far, done more to meet those expectations, especially through visible road infrastructure and other development efforts.

For me, the future of Imo will not be decided by old names alone. It will be decided by leadership that people can trust, leadership that delivers, and leadership that remembers the ordinary man and woman.