Ihedioha’s festoons
By Austin Uganwa
Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha, former Governor of Imo is 60 on Monday, March 24, 2025. This milestone is particularly significant and resonates immense celebrations for a number of reasons. Apart from Ihedioha’s uncommon service to his people, over the decades, he has largely been at the vanguard of nation-building and socio-economic and democratic development of Nigeria as a nation
At 60, Ihedioha is known to have left indelible footpaths in our shadowy political space, democratic governance and rule of law. As a resourceful and focused parliamentarian for more than a decade, he demonstrated that political leadership is only relevant in sincere pursuit of the welfare and happiness of the people and the good of the state
It’s against this telling background that Ihedioha’s political associates, relations, friends, admirers and a host of others are rolling out drums to celebrate his 60-year-milestone with pomp and great fulfilment
At 60, Ihedioha’s pro-people and inspirational leadership philosophy underscore his meteoric and robust rise in politics. Since the rebirth of democratic rule in 1999, Ihedioha has occupied notable strategic elective positions in the legislative and executive arms of government. For 12 straight years, 2003 and 2015, he rode on popular mandate and had an unbroken chain of re-elections into the House of Representatives, representing Aboh Mbaise and Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency of Imo State
Based on his legislative prowess and erudition, he commanded the respect of his colleagues in the House. As a result he had an uninterrupted and mystical ascendancy onto the leadership hierarchy of the House. In his first four years, for instance, he headed the choice House Committee on Marine Transport. In his second and third tenures, Ihedioha was progressively elected by his colleagues to serve as chief whip and deputy speaker respectively. When his boss, speaker Aminu Tambuwal was elected as Governor of Sokoto State, Ihedioha intrinsically filled the gap and served as speaker till the end of the 7th Assembly.
As speaker and deputy, Ihedioha provided eminent legislative leadership that prioritized parliamentary independence, productivity, oversight, accountability, transparency, openness and rule of law.
He headed the team that developed the Legislative Agenda of the 7th House. Besides, he chaired the Constitution Review Committee of the 7th House. Based on his obsessions for citizen-centric Constitution review process, he broadened citizens and civil societies’ participation, inputs and access. Thus, he delivered in a remarkable and unprecedented fashion
At 60, Ihedioha deserves worthy garlands for the positive manner he touched the lives of his constituents as a parliamentarian. He made infrastructural development, social services, empowerment and regular consultations with constituents the heartbeat of his legislative business.
As chief whip and deputy speaker, he expanded his scope by guaranteeing that his legislative activities impacted his state, Imo, South East and South-South geo-political zones and indeed the nation, in many ways. For instance, he attracted the rehabilitation of two highways connecting Imo and Rivers States namely, Owerri- Eleiyele and Okpala- Okehi Roads , just to mention a few.
Ihedioha’s profound performance as a legislator aptly earned him the overwhelming mandate of Imo people during the 2019 governorship polls. He defeated the current governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma to a distant fourth. Within the seven months he served as Imo Governor, he set a matchless and historic record in the state before his tenure was unjustly and brazenly truncated by the Supreme Court, a controversial decision that has continued to haunt the Apex court till date
As Governor his vision for Imo was to “rebuild, reposition and transform” the state into a modern ecosystem in the most innovative manner to enhance the socio-economic development of Imo and the well-being of the masses.
In ensuring that he kept abiding faith with his vision for Imo and his campaign promises, he put in a place a 150-member technical Committee that prepared a strategic blueprint that aligned his vision with his campaign manifestoes. He took prompt, methodical and pragmatic steps to accomplish the roadmap. In just 100 days in office he awarded and mobilized contractors to reconstruct and rehabilitate more than 25 intra and intercity roads concurrently, including federal roads. It was a far-reaching response to grapple with gross infrastructural decay in the state.
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Besides, the Ihedioha-led administration restored Otamiri Water Scheme that left Owerri taps dry for eight years and reconnected the state secretariat and other public buildings to the national grid through Imo Power and Rural Electrification Agency he established to tackle dismal power supply.
His administration tackled misappropriation of public finances and dismal state of revenue base of Imo headlong by introducing Treasury Single Account. In so doing, he scaled down the 250 government accounts that were in operations before the start of rebuild Imo administration
In order to foster due process, accountability and transparency in government business his administration revitalized the procurement regulations in the biddings and awards of contracts. The administration also reinforced the ease of doing business unit that was moribund prior to his administration’s dawn.
The benefits from the policy measures were instant, wide-ranging and penetrating. While fiscal discipline took centre-stage, large-scale outflows in the financial system of the state were accordingly blocked, boosting the Internally Generated Revenue of the state from N250m to N1.2b in less than six months.
In a swift wave, Imo under Ihedioha’s watch, entered the national and international honours and recognitions list. The National Bureau of Statistics in conjunction with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes in partnership with other international development agencies after conducting a survey on corruption index among the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory during the second half of 2019 honoured Imo as the least corrupt state. More so, Imo was recognized as the state with the fastest growing economy by Business Day newspaper.
Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy in conjunction with the National Council on Communications and Digital Economy awarded Imo the best state in ICT. Imo also came second in e-governance.
Imo’s enviable and smart new outlook stimulated investors’ optimism and development agencies willingness to work with Imo government. For instance, the President of African Export and Import Bank, Prof. Benedict Oramah arrived in the state in December, 2019 and signed MoU with Imo government to site a multi-dollars African quality assurance institution in Ngor Okpala near Owerri.
The dignity of labour and the pensioners was restored under Ihedioha’s watch. Workers salary was increased and the payment structure standardized. An enduring biometric verification exercise of pensioners was undertaken and the payment of their monthly entitlements commenced after six years of non-payment.
Obligated to masses welfare especially at the grassroots Ihedioha administration ensured full release of monthly financial allocations to the 27 local councils in the state through regular joint accounts meetings. His administration commenced preparations to conduct local government election to foster democratic ethos at that level of government
Deeply peeved over high level of lawlessness and indiscipline that have eroded the Peoples Democracy Party, his former political party, Ihedioha resigned from the party last year on principled ground with his large army of associates, supporters and loyalists who now operate on the platform of Rebuild Imo Movement, working with other like-minded people to realign ahead of the 2027 polls.
At 60, Ihedioha boasts of enormous political footprints etched in ever growing popular support. This makes Ihedioha an uncommon treasure, a rare brand and beautiful bride of democratic Imo.
- Dr. Uganwa, author of Nigeria Fourth Republic National Assembly, wrote from Owerri
