The race to occupy Douglas house Owerri Imo state seat of political power in 2019 is currently on as Senator Samuel Anyanwu of Peoples Democratic Party-PDP representing Imo East (Owerri) senatorial Districts is set to grab Imo PDP gubernatorial ticket.
The obodo Amaimo town in Ikeduru Local Government Area in Imo state born politician has strong political pedigree as he first won election as elected Chairman of Ikeduru Local Government Council and repeated that for a second term and later he won election into Imo state House of Assembly representing Ikeduru LGA state constituency.
When in 2015 he contested election into Owerri Senatorial District he was able to defeat his opponents thereby replacing Senator Mrs Christie Anyanwu. Senator Samuel Anyanwu popularly called SAM DADDY is a strong founding member of PDP in Imo state as his Governorship bid is said to have received blessing from Imo PDP stalwarts such Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and others who were once in PDP but defected to other parties such as Senator Ifeanyi Araraume who is in All Progressive Congress-APC also eyeing the Douglas House in 2019. He is a grass root politician with his establishment of SAMDADDY football club which is currently in a Non league category of Nigerian football Federation.
The 52-years old Senator Samuel Anyanwu is currently the Chairman of Senate Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions a department he had shown strong performance in investigating high profile cases with proven results without minding whose ox is gourd.
One thing going for him is the fact that his Owerri district has not produced the Governor of Imo state since 1999 to date as in 1999 it was Chief Achike Udenwa of Peoples Democratic Party-PDP from Orlu senatorial zone that won and ruled for 8-years while Chief Ikedi Ohakim of Progressive Peoples Alliance PPA and later defected to PDP from Okigwe senatorial District governed Imo state for 4-Years.
Again the incumbent governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha also from Orlu senatorial District had governed about 8-years which paves way for light complexioned Senator Samuel Anyanwu to sweep the polls in February 2019 governorship election in Imo state.
Although he may have challengers from the same political party such the former deputy Speaker Federal House of representatives Chief Emeka Ihedioha who ran in 2015 but lost to Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Senator Hope Uzodinma of PDP from Orlu senatorial District is said to be warming up for the PDP Governorship Primary ticket.
On December 2nd 2017 when he engaged in a Thanksgiving church ceremony at Iho-Dimeze town the Council Headquarters of Ikeduru LGA Senator Sam Daddy attracted who is who in Nigerian Politics with senate President Bukola Saraki in attendance and Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike was there too as he donated the sum of Twenty Million Naira –N20m for the building of Civic Center Town hall by Iho-Dimeze community.