The 2023 Imo State gubernatorial election will take place on 11 November 2023 due to the belated inauguration of incumbent Governor

Hope Uzodinma Hope Odidika Uzodimma (born 12 December 1958) is a Nigerian politician who serves as Governor of Imo State. On 14 January 2020, the Supreme Court in Nigeria declared Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the 2019 govern ...

, to elect the Governor of Imo State. Incumbent APC Governor

is eligible to run for re-election, but has not yet stated whether he will do so. The primaries are scheduled for between 27 March and 17 April 2022.

Electoral system

The Governor of Imo State is elected using a modified

two-round system The two-round system (TRS), also known as runoff voting, second ballot, or ballotage, is a voting method used to elect a single candidate, where voters cast a single vote for their preferred candidate. It generally ensures a majoritarian resul ...

. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two-thirds of state

local government areas A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory. The phrase i ...

. If no candidate passes this threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government areas.

Primary elections

The primaries, along with any potential challenges to primary results, will take place between 27 March and 17 April 2022.

All Progressives Congress

Cleared by screening committee

: Governor and former Senator for Imo West

Declined

Ifeanyi Ararume Ifeanyi Godwin Ararume born (December 16, 1958) is a Nigerian politician who has been recently appointed by the country's minister of Petroleum Resources, as the Chairman, board of management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NN ...

: former Senator for Imo North * Jude Ejiogu: former Secretary to Imo State Government and 2019 APC gubernatorial candidate * David Mbamara: entrepreneur *

Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba (born 20 August 1967) is a Nigerian politician and lawyer. He was the Minister of State for Education of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. from 2019 and resigned on April 28th 2022 after receiving an APC Expression of Intere ...

: former Minister of State for Education (2019–2022) and former House of Representatives member for Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo *

Uche Nwosu Uche Nwosu (born August 8, 1975), is a Nigerian politician and former Deputy Chief of Staff to the Imo State Government from 2011 to 2013, Commissioner for Lands from 2013 to 2015 and was the Chief of Staff from 2015 to 2019. Early life Nwaou ...

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

APC gubernatorial candidate and AA gubernatorial nominee, Governor Okorocha administration official, and son-in-law of former Governor Okorocha

Labour Party

Purchased forms

* Athan Achonu: former Senator for Imo North *

Martin Agbaso Chief Martin Agbaso (born 1959) is a Nigerian economist, politician and was a candidate for Governor of Imo State. Agbaso is the former Imo State Senator for Owerri, a special assistant on Ecology to the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeri ...

: former Senator for Imo East * Charles Agomuo * Chinedu Amadi: businessman * Humphrey Anumudu†: businessman * Tochi Ehirim * Ike Ibe: former

House of Assembly House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level. Historically, in British Crown colonies as the colony gained more internal responsible governme ...

member for Obowo West and former Speaker of the

* C. Ishiguzo * Basil Maduka: businessman * David Mbamara * Kelechi Nwagwu: former

member and former Speaker of the

* Lincoln Ogunewe: former

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

major general * Joseph Ukaegbu

People's Democratic Party

In late 2022 and early 2023, reporting revealed an intense internal battle within the Imo PDP over the gubernatorial ticket between the state party's two most influential figures: former Senator

Samuel Anyanwu Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu (born 18 June 1965) is a Nigerian politician who represented the Imo East constituency in Imo State in the 8th Assembly Senate of Nigeria. He declared to run for Governor in the 2019 elections but lost to Chukwuemeka Ihedio ...

and former Governor

Emeka Ihedioha Emeka Ihedioha (born 24 March 1965) is a Nigerian politician and Businessman. Ihedioha is the governor with the shortest tenure in South Eastern Nigeria. He is the former Governor of Imo State and a former Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of ...

. Anyanwu and Ihedioha had competed for the

nomination and struggled for control of the state party during the 2022 legislative primaries. In January 2023, observers noted PDP concern that the Anyanwu-Ihedioha feud could hurt the party ahead of elections in both February and October.

Cleared by screening committee

: PDP National Secretary, former Senator for Imo East, and 2019 PDP gubernatorial candidate

Withdrew

: former Governor and former House of Representatives member for Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala

Declined

* Jerry Alagbaoso: House of Representatives member for Oru East/Orsu/Orlu

Conduct

Electoral timetable

On 25 October 2022, the

Independent National Electoral Commission The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was established in 1998 and is the electoral body which oversees elections in Nigeria. History Regulation and administration of elections The administration of democratic elections in Nige ...

released the timetable, setting out key dates and deadlines for the election. * 14 November 2022 – Publication of Notice of Election * 27 March 2023 – First day for the conduct of party primaries * 17 April 2023 – Final day for the conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them * 24 April 2023 – First day for submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal * 5 May 2023 – Final day for submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal * 9 June 2023 – Publication of final nominee list * 14 June 2023 – Commencement of the official campaign period * 9 November 2023 – Final day of the official campaign period

General election

Results

By senatorial district

The results of the election by senatorial district.

By federal constituency

The results of the election by federal constituency.

By local government area

The results of the election by local government area.

References

{{Nigerian state and local elections Imo State gubernatorial election

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Imo