Youths in Mbaise, Imo State, have reiterated their support for Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as their preferred candidate, abandoning Emeka Ihedioha ahead of the 2023 Imo governorship election.

Reiterating their decision in a statement made available to Peoples Gazette on Monday, the youths accused Mr Ihedioha of “threatening and bribing people” to counter their endorsement of Senator Anyanwu for the Imo governorship.

In the statement signed by Ezekwe Chilaka (Ezinihitte Mbaise), Anaele Onuoha (Ahiazu Mbaise) and Tobechukwu Ogbonna (Aboh Mbaise), the youths said Mr Anyanwu was declared the sole candidate for the governorship seat by Mr Ihedioha’s kinsmen.

They accused the former governor and House of Representatives deputy speaker of resorting to media blackmail to denounce the endorsement of Mr Anyanwu, adding that they were “tired of his (Ihedioha) political dominance, greed and selfishness.”

The endorsement comes as the PDP’s governorship ticket continues to cause a divide among party members in the build up to the state’s governorship election.

On January 14, 2020, Mr Ihedioha and the PDP lost the governorship seat to now Governor Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC), when the Supreme Court declared Mr Uzodimma as the winner of the 2019 governorship election.