At 60, a former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives and governor of Imo State has truly paid his dues, writes Monday Philips Ekpe.
What is now a latent but dependable political machine of Rt. Hon. Chukwuemeka Emeka Ihedioha has been long in the making. There must be some things about his person, his thought processes, and his ability to galvanise men and women to pursue and achieve specific goals. Attempting to put a finger on what those ingredients are could be a necessary move towards understanding a part of the dynamics of the nation’s politics in the current democratic dispensation and the alignments and realignments that are underway. The chance presented by his 60th birthday anniversary is, therefore, simply too tempting to let slip by.
His entry into Nigeria’s political space and the steps he has taken all the way suggest a man at home with his firmament and mission. At age 27, in 1992, his communication skills earned him the position of press officer to the then President of the Senate during the turbulent Third Republic, Dr Iyorchia Ayu. The following year, he became chief press secretary to the deputy senate president, before former Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha, sent the legislature packing. But he was undeterred by that disruption. Young Emeka had sipped the waters of partisanship, at least by association, enough for him to make a critical decision about his eventful life.
Chief Ihedioha’s return to his desk as CEO, First Page Communications was spent strategising and contemplating the utility value of the media within the framework of a country trying to navigate its way through the treacherous conflict between militarism and a growing quest for civilian administration. And then, in 1998, he was appointed director of publicity of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM). Spearheaded by the late grandmaster of Nigerian politics, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, it was arguably the strongest political machinery at the time which was used to mobilise the electorate, initially for the primary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and, later, the general election that produced the historic presidential triumph of the late Chief Moshood Abiola in 1993. It was the PDM that teamed up with the famous G34 to constitute the founding membership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which held federal power for the first 16 years of this republic. That’s a testimony to the strength of its very foundations. Being the spokesperson for an organisation of that stature didn’t only enhance Ihedioha’s profile, it also ushered him into a realm of higher possibilities.
More official appointments in quick succession at the dawn of the present democratic period enabled that capacity further. July 1999: special assistant to the Presidential Adviser on Utilities. November 1999: special assistant on media and publicity to the President of the Senate. In 2001, he assumed the office of special assistant on political matters to the vice president. The frequency of his job mobility could be a product of the personal restlessness sometimes associated with people aiming at or destined for the top, or the sheer brilliance of his talent that could just not be ignored, or both.
That last post was probably the final stroke he needed to take a dive into something elective. And the contest for a seat in the House of Representatives for Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency in Imo State paid off in 2003. For the next 12 years, Ihedioha stamped his presence and sterling performances there in various capacities: chairman, marine transport committee; chief whip; and, finally, deputy to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. For the brief period that followed Tambuwal’s inauguration as governor of Sokoto State in 2015, he served as the acting speaker of the House. Tambuwal’s own kind words won’t be forgotten anytime soon. According to him, his former colleague’s time at the green chamber “was a golden era for the House of Representatives. He was a fierce advocate for legislative independence and was never afraid to challenge the executive when necessary.”
Those National Assembly platforms offered him adequate grounds to deepen his legislative knowledge and practice. His oversight of and interest in the marine sector contributed greatly to produce relevant signature laws like, The International Convention for the Safety at Sea (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004, The United Nations Convention on Carriage of Goods by Sea (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2005, The international Convention on the Civil Liabilities for Oil Pollution Damage (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2006, and Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, Act 2007. Not to mention his pivotal role in the constitution review efforts of the era and some other pluses.
Arguably the most dramatic time of his public life was on display between 2019 and 2020. After the holder of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) national award was sworn in as governor of Imo State the previous year, a Supreme Court judgement upturned the victory in January 2020. The bizarre nature of that ruling made its negative local and global resonance inevitable. Ihedioha, candidate of the PDP beat his closest rival, Action Alliance (AA)’s Uche Nwosu by 273,404 to 190,364 votes. But with the wisdom considered in many circles as jaundiced, the apex court declared that the trophy belonged to Chief Hope Uzodinma who initially polled only 96,458 votes and came fourth but was awarded the figures that emanated from contentious 388 polling units to bring his numbers to 309,753.
But like a gold fish that can’t be banished to obscurity, the seven months that “Omenkahuruanya” spent in the Government House were loaded with proofs of selfless, indelible service to his people. As Abuja felt the touch of this consummate lawmaker, Owerri too did bear witness to his executive footprints. The over 30 road projects, transformative reforms like the Treasury Single Account (TSA), Central Billing System (CBS) and Open Government System (OGS), better security and enhanced local administration, and his several other accomplishments are all pointers to the fact that it really doesn’t require plenty of time to exhibit responsible and responsive leadership.
Ihedioha’s Rebuild Imo Movement (RIM) continues to derive much credence from the capital he has garnered over the years among Imo indigenes and others who appreciate this man who’s conversant with the power of genuine, people-oriented legacies.
In a surprise move in April last year, he went to his Mbutu Ward in Aboh Mbaise in Imo State and bid farewell to PDP, a party he had helped to build. His words: “I have taken pride in the fact that the PDP is a party that will always look inward for internal reform and provide credible leadership for the people, whether in power or outside power. I have had the benefit of serving and benefitting from the party at various levels. Regrettably, in recent times, the party has taken on a path that is at variance with my personal beliefs. Despite my attempt to offer counsel, the party is sadly no longer able to carry out internal reforms, enforce its own rules or offer credible opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress.” Modest. Frank. Resolute. Even in a situation that could easily have triggered red-hot anger and grandstanding in many politicians, he wasn’t ready to belie his admirable, approachable character. The fact that numerous persons who had served PDP and government at national, zonal and state levels dropped their own party cards in solidarity with their leader and mentor, even without any declared destination, speaks volume.
Ihedioha’s learning at respectable institutions like University of Lagos, Stanford University, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, USA, Oxford University, London School of Economics, UK, and University of British Columbia, Canada has, no doubt, added colour to his urbanity. Luckily, that hasn’t affected the qualities which have endeared him to the less endowed. Surely, being an enduring grassroots mobiliser has its own rewards.
Ekpe, PhD, is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board.
