Ihedioha as Best Candidate for Imo Governor   

As Imo people prepare to fulfill their civic obligation by casting their votes on Saturday to elect the candidate who will lead the state in the next four years, there are compelling reasons why Imo electorates should settle for Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives

Apart from his astronomical and consistent rise in political office, he is the most experienced public office holder among the over 20 candidates who are jostling for power to lead Imo.  He had his first stint in political office in 1991 when he served as Press Officer to the then Deputy Senate President, Senator Albert Legogie, since then  he has for  over 16 years  occupied critical but plum positions in public service.

It is therefore incontrovertible that 16 years in public service at federal level translate into rare wealth of experience and reserviour of knowledge which intrinsically puts him ahead of other contestants. Thus this remarkable knowledge base would   constitute an incredible pool he would draw from to rebuild Imo when elected.

Unlike other contestants Ihedioha has in the past twelve years won three consecutive elections into the House of Representatives. This reality is indeed instructive of his tall electoral value, high acceptance rating among his constituents,  and towering performance as elected political office holder,  making it possible for him to enlist the support of the voters to be re-elected twice. The implication is that among the pack racing  for the Douglas House Owerri, Ihedioha is the most tested and invariably the most trusted.

Little wonder then,  he has been able to witness   a steady and sustained rise within his 12-year stint in the House. In a feat that remains exceptional and unusual Ihedioha climbed from Committee Chairman on Marine Transport, to Chief Whip and four years later he emerged  Deputy Speaker.  This amazing development coupled with his stimulating political leadership style and sterling attributes  have spawned a wide ranging belief that he has a lot to offer and that Imo will be  much better for it to have him as Governor.

Ihedioha’s record in the House  is an eloquent testimony  to the fact that he is logically the best candidate to manage the affairs of Imo. As  Chief Whip of the House, for instance,   Ihedioha injected colour, robustness and dexterity into the office. He was one of the principal officers of the House that provided focus and direction to the House business. After three and half years’ stint in the office he left  rare legacies that made him stand out among those who occupied the position before him.

On June 6 2011, he was unanimously elected by his colleagues to serve as Deputy Speaker. His election and that of Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal marked a great turning point in the election of presiding officers in the National Assembly and a consolidation of parliamentary democracy. It was the first time legislators would collectively shun external manipulation and imposition of leadership by political gladiators bent on controlling and destroying the legislature.

 Ihedioha  made history by becoming a symbol of the remarkable change. Whenever the history of National Assembly is written, the name of  Ihedioha would be embossed on marble for being one of the heroes that championed the  parliamentary liberation. .

Under their leadership,  the House has boasted of  a fresh breath, new direction that put the legislature in an excellent shape for enhanced performance. The success story is fundamentally credited to  the House’s Legislative Agenda put together  by an ad hoc committee headed by Ihedioha. The tendency to implement the articles  of the agenda provoked  the House to take on the  executive in an unprecedented manner resulting in   higher government delivery.

These significant realities are instructive that Ihedioha is at home with  effective governance and best legislative  practices. Accordingly,   it would be in the best interest of  Imolites to give him the necessary mandate that would enable him move the state higher and further.

Far-sighted  and visionary leader, Ihedioha’s  passion and commitment to development options manifestly puts him far ahead of his rivals .  Although this piece is not meant to compute the many projects Ihedioha has brought to the state and South East zone, the record of his road infrastructure, electricity projects, education facilities, water projects, hospital facilities is significant and verifiable. For instance, Ihedioha got NDDC to award contract for OKpala-

Igwuruta Road, linking Imo to Rivers with the first phase costing N4.2b; facilitated award of contract for the dualization of Owerri-Elele (Omayelu) 35-kilometre road at N23b. He also attracted contract for the design of the famous 63-kilometre Mbaise Ring Road cutting across three local councils at the initial cost of N1bn.

Besides, Ihedioha facilitated the award of N5bn contract for the award of construction of roundabout at Ahiara junction along Owerri-Umuahia Road with two spurs and got the Federal Government to take over the construction of Airport Junction, Umuohiagu-Uvuru Road. He also initiated the process of constructing N1b jetty at Imo River.

  These are just a tip of an iceberg.    Ihedioha  has in addition attracted many empowerment programmes for youths, women and graduate engineers  to create wealth and help stem the ugly tide of unemployment in Imo state.  Also, he has  ensured that many Imo indigenes obtain political appointments and civil service jobs at federal level.  He has also assisted many young politicians in many ways to consolidate. These are veritable facts.

A critical deduction is  quite instructive here. As a legislator , Ihedioha has  been able to attract a long list of  infrastructural development projects to Imo; the implication is that when elected  Governor with absolute   power to design and implement budget, he would certainly make  Imo a state to behold, a radical departure from years of inaction and looting of treasury. This realization makes it imperative for Imo people to vote wisely on Saturday,  by casting their votes for this selfless, broadminded and results-oriented young man. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine!