Emeka Ihedioha: The Man Of The Moment In Imo State
By Emeka Nwosu
Nigeria is in a season of politics. The politicking is reaching a fever
pitch as the political parties and their various candidates criss-cross
the length and breadth of the country campaigning for votes. Everywhere
you go, the dominant issues remain the 2015 General Elections.
The stakes are very high given the primacy of political power in any
organized State, particularly in a developing society like Nigeria. This
fact was clearly acknowledged by the former Ghanaian leader and foremost
Pan-Africanist, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who said: “Seek ye first the
political kingdom, every other thing shall be added onto you”.
Inherent in Nkrumah`s postulation is the assumption that political power
is the most potent instrument for the social and economic reconstruction
of any given society. Students of power and politics believe so.
It is basically for this reason that the contestation for power in
emerging democracies in Africa and other Third World countries is
characterized by a very high level of viciousness and violence.
It is therefore not surprising that Okwudiba Nnoli, the eminent Professor
emeritus of Political Science and the author of the classical book,
“Ethnic Politics in Nigeria” defines politics as “those activities
directly or indirectly related to the acquisition, consolidation and use
of power”.
Acquiring power is one thing and deploying it to serve the good of the
society is another thing altogether.
In Imo State today, there is one young man who is seeking power not for
the trappings of office or the grandeur that comes with such exalted
position; but he is doing so to serve the common good. That man is Rt.
Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives
and gubernatorial flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Power (PDP) in Imo
State.
Emeka Ihedioha is currently the rave of the moment in the State. He is the
man whose time has come. His acceptance is unprecedented as he enjoys
popular support across all the nooks and crannies of the State.
He remains the greatest threat to the incumbent APC administration led by
Owelle Rochas Okorocha and the best gubernatorial choice of the PDP to
take over the Douglas House, Owerri.
It is perhaps in realization of this obvious reality that the
Okorocha-controlled State media organs have launched ferocious but futile
attacks on the candidature of Ihedioha. The government is highly rattled
hence the desperation.
But amidst all this, Ihedioha remains focused, calm and calculated as he
takes his campaign message of liberation and restoration to all parts of
the State.
Last Saturday at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, Ihedioha was presented by
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji
Adamu Muazu to the people of Imo State as their in-coming Governor. The
proclamation was greeted with resounding applause; an indication of the
wide acceptance and popularity rating of Ihedioha in the State.
He is the most prepared of all those seeking to govern Imo State today,
having surely but steadily occupied critical and sensitive public
positions in the last two decades.
He is well educated unlike some of his opponents whose educational
qualifications have question marks. He holds a Bachelor`s degree in Food
Science and Technology from the University of Lagos. In addition, he has
undertaken an Executive Certificate Course in Financial Management from
the Stanford University, and a Leadership Certificate Course from Kennedy
School of Government, Harvard University, both world-renowned and
prestigious Ivy-league institutions in the United States of America (USA).
Like we noted earlier he has held key positions that have prepared him for
the governorship of Imo State. In his current position as the Deputy
Speaker, he chairs some critical committees in the National Assembly whose
mandate and functions lie at the very heart and soul of the 7th House of
Representatives.
They include the House Ad-Hoc Committee on New Legislative Agenda; House
Ad-Hoc Committee on Constitution Review and Committee of the Whole.
As the Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee on New Legislative Agenda, he
worked assiduously alongside some of his colleagues to fashion out a
vision document that has defined the direction of the House in the last
three and half years.
Under his superintendence, the Committee produced an innovative agenda in
which the House seeks to promote internal democracy in its business and
deepen the values of probity and accountability in the conduct of public
policy.
As the Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee on the Constitution, he has
guided the House in passing critical amendments for the good of our
nation. Such amendments include autonomy for Local Government Councils,
and the making of primary health and housing as basic rights amongst many
other landmark amendments.
As the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, Ihedioha presides over the
consideration of all Committee reports. This critical role is assigned to
him by the Rules of the House of Representatives.
He is always a delight to watch whenever he is presiding as he brings to
bear on the legislative process uncommon brilliance and political
sagacity. Through a combination of wits and statesmanship, he has on many
occasions steered the House out of controversies and difficult situations.
Ihedioha has also empowered many Imo youth and women through his numerous
skills acquisition and training programmes organized in the State within
the 12-year period he has been in the National Assembly as the
representative of Aboh-Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal constituency.
This is the time to reward him for his good deeds to the people of Imo
State all these years of his stewardship to the nation. It is expected
that on Saturday, February 28 all eligible voters will come out en masse
and vote for Emeka Ihedioha as the next governor of Imo State.
Emeka Nwosu, a public affairs analyst was the former Political Editor of
the Daily Times
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