– For many politicians, getting into the Senate or House of Representatives would be the peak of their careers and perhaps the highlight of a lifetime. In a country with an estimated population of 190 million people, only 469 persons (0.00026%) make it to the National Assembly every four years.
However, within this elite group, a select (or elected) few manage to accomplish the feat of graduating from the National Assembly to elected executive positions as examples of successful leadership recruitment. Former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, has just joined this graduate class following his victory at the Imo State governorship poll held on March 9.
Who is Emeka Ihedioha?
Emeka Ihedioha was born in 1965 and hails from Mbutu, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. He began his primary education at Town School, Mbutu in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, completed same at SDA Primary School, Abule Oja, Yaba Lagos in 1976. He then moved on to St. Ephraim’s Secondary School, Owerrinta in present day Abia State for his secondary education, rounding off his academic sojourn in Nigeria with a Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) degree in Food Technology from the University of Lagos. This was in 1988. He has also since taken courses at Stanford University and Harvard University, respectively, both in the United States of America as well as Oxford University Business School, London School of Economics and the University of British Columbia, Canada.
Sojourn to the National Assembly
Ihedioha’s first taste of the National Assembly came in in 1992 when he emerged as Press Officer to the then President of the Senate, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu. Within three months of this appointment, he was promoted to the position of Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Albert Legogie, now late.
Following the truncation of democracy by the military in 1993, Ihedioha returned to his public communications practice as Chief Executive Officer of First Page Communications. In 1995, he became Director of Publicity of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) which later metamorphosed into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alongside four other organizations.
Following the return to democratic rule in 1999, Ihedioha again found relevance. First, he was appointed Special Assistant to the Presidential Adviser on Utilities (July 1999); Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President of Senate (November 1999); and eventually Special Assistant on Political Matters to the Vice President (September 2001). It was from this last assignment in the Office of Vice President Atiku Abubakar that he contested election and won a seat into the House of Representatives as Member representing Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency of Imo State in 2003 under the platform of the PDP.
12 years of sterling legislative achievements:
During his spell at the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2015, Ihedioha recorded tremendous achievements in his legislative duties in Abuja and in enhancing the fortunes of his constituency back home.
First International Maritime Summit: Ihedioha was the Chairman of the House Committee on Marine Transport between 2003 and 2007. In April, 2004, he convened the first International Maritime Summit, in Abuja, an event that brought together for the very first time to the shores of Nigeria, international and local resource persons in the maritime sector. Among the dignitaries that attended the summit were the then Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, then Secretary General of IMO, late Admiral Mike Akhigbe and Obi of Onitsha among several personalities. The Summit provided a veritable opportunity to chart the much-needed road-map for the advancement of the sector that had suffered due to lack of statutory support.
Adherence to International Conventions: Ihedioha led the way in ensuring that Nigeria complied with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Conventions and that these conventions became part of our Municipal Laws, through their domestication. These laws include:
The International Convention for the Safety of Life 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 for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2005
The International Convention on the Civil Liabilities for Oil Pollution Damage (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, 2006
International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for the Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage 1979 as amended (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, 2006
International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code
Under his watch, two key legislations which reformed the maritime industry to allow for increased participation of Nigerians were passed. The legislations are: the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Act, 2007 and the Merchant Shipping Act, 2005. It is worthy to add that he also personally sponsored and facilitated the passage into law of the bill that established the Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding (CRFFN) in Nigeria. It must be satisfying to him to see what NIMASA has become as a vibrant and important agency of government today.
Chief whip of the House: Following a brief stint as the first Chairman, House Committee on Cooperation and Integration Ihedioha was later elected Chief Whip of the House. He held that position from 2007 – 2011.
In his capacity as Chief Whip, Ihedioha served as Chairman of various Ad-Hoc Committees of the House, including Chairman, Ad-hoc Committee on Constituency Projects (2007-2008); Chairman, Ad-Hoc Committee on the Celebration of Ten Years of Unhindered Legislative Practice in Nigeria (1999-2009); Chairman, Ad-hoc Committee on Process and Procedure for Obtaining Local and Foreign Loans; and Chairman, Sub-Committee on the Review of Police Act.
Tenure as Deputy Speaker: On the 6th day of June, 2011 Ihedioha was elected unopposed as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative by his colleagues contrary to the arrangement of the ruling PDP, which had zoned the position to a different region of the country. The principled stand of the House members was seen as an affirmation of implicit confidence in the leadership credentials of Ihedioha.
Chairman House Ad-Hoc Committee on Constitution Review: As Deputy Speaker, Ihedioha served as Chairman, House Ad-Hoc Committee on Legislative Agenda. However, it was his role as Chairman House Ad-Hoc Committee on Constitution Review that really exemplified his sterling qualities. Under his leadership, the constitution amendment process progressed remarkably with new innovations to make it a bottom-up exercise that placed a premium on the wishes and aspirations of the people. The Committee and indeed, the House, made a landmark record of amending 71 Sections of the Constitution, which if adopted as part of Nigeria’s Constitution would have represented the single largest amendment of any Nigerian Constitution in history. The highlight of the process was the highly acclaimed Peoples Public Sessions held all over the country on November 10, 2012. This was a landmark achievement as Nigerians in their various constituencies had an opportunity to express their views on how they should be governed.
Constituency Projects: Throughout his stay at the National Assembly, Emeka Ihedioha attracted and facilitated several infrastructure projects and development programmes to his immediate constituency, Imo State and the South East geo-political zone at large. These include interstate and intra city roads, power transmission/injection stations, vocational/training centres, healthcare facilities, schools, telecommunications, and so on.
It is to Ihedioha’s credit that the federal government embarked on the dualization of the Owerri-Elele road (Imo-Rivers state) and the construction of the 59 km, Mbaise ring road as well as the Isinweke-Ihitte Uboma-Okigwe road just to mention a few.
In the area of capacity building, Ihedioha used personal and official contacts to facilitate the empowerment of several women and youths through skills acquisition, scholarship and trading support.
International Engagements: As Deputy Speaker, Ihedioha was the Leader of Nigeria`s parliamentary delegation to the Third Legislative Session of the ECOWAS Parliament (2011 – 2015). He also doubled as the Deputy Leader of the Nigerian delegation to the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) between 2011-2015.
In the 6th National Assembly, Ihedioha was at the head of several delegations of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) to many Commonwealth nations in Africa, Europe, Asia and the Pacific, in his capacity as the President of the Nigeria chapter of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). He was the Leader of the Nigerian Delegation to the 6th General Assembly of the International Parliamentary Association for Information Technology, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2008; Member, Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Africa Region; and Leader, Nigerian Delegation to the 41st Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Mpumulangha, South Africa.
Honours & Recognitions:
Ihedioha holds the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Shipping and also received the Distinguished Service Award of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. He was voted one of Nigeria’s 50 Most Outstanding Legislators (1999-2009) and has also been conferred with the Fellowships of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology and Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC).
He also holds several traditional titles and is a Knight of the Order of St. Christopher of the Anglican Communion.
Journey to Douglas House and hope for the People of Imo
Ihedioha first shot at Imo government House also known as Douglas was in 2015 when he lost to the incumbent, Rochas Okorocha.
Ihedioha returned to the ring in 2019 and emerged as Imo State governor-elect following his victory at the poll. He scored 273,404 votes to defeat 69 other candidates including Uche Nwosu of Action Alliance, son-in-law to Governor Okorocha who scored 190,364 votes.
Despite voting overwhelmingly for the former Deputy Speaker, it is not unexpected that some might harbour doubts over the ability of Ihedioha to wield the proverbial magic wand to restore Imo state to the path of prosperity after a chastening era of “iberiberism”.
Nevertheless, if previous accomplishments, track record, integrity and leadership experience at the very highest level are anything to go by, Imolites can undoubtedly look forward to a new dawn under the stewardship of Emeka Ihedioha. As shown above, Ihedioha has excelled in every position he has held and looks set to leave an enduring impact in what is arguably his highest “calling” yet.
