Chidiebube Okeoma, Owerri
It is 363 days since Emeka Ihedioha publicly announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party.
Precisely on April 23, 2024, in a letter addressed to his Mbutu PDP ward chairman, the ex deputy speaker of the House of representatives, Abuja, who briefly served as a governor of Imo state before he was ousted by a supreme Court judgment, accused PDP of deviating from the cure democratic ethoes upon which it was founded in 1998.
Ihedioha quit letter from the PDP “reads, “Since 1998, I have contributed my quota to the development and transformation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as one of the founding members. All these years, I have taken pride in the fact that the PDP is a party that will always look inward for internal reforms and provide credible leadership for the people, whether in power or outside power. I have had the benefit of serving and benefiting 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.’
“It is in the light of the foregoing, that I am compelled to offer my resignation from the People’s Democratic Party effective immediately. While the decision was difficult to take, I, however, believe that it is the right one. Despite this resignation, I will always be available to offer my services towards the deepening of democracy and good governance in Nigeria.”
While Ihedioha’s resignation from the PDP, a party that gave him the platform to emerge a member of the house of House of representatives in three consecutive electioneering seasons from 2003 to 2015 from which he became the chief whip, the deputy speaker and the outing speaker and governor of Imo state, briefly was a shock to many, others posited that Ihedioha chickened out from PDP to avert impending humiliating defeat in Imo PDP’s internal party structure battle between him and now the embattled national secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu ( SamDaddy) who was and still in firm control of the structure of the party in the state.
Ihedioha’s withdrawal from the 2023 governorship process in Imo state, was the first time in twenty years he was not in the ballot papers since he started contesting for elections.
For the records, Ihedioha had participated in five general elections, he won four and just lost one. That is a good political record if you ask me. Ex governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, is the only person to had beaten Ihedioha in an electoral contest before and that was in 2015.
Sensing another electoral defeat this time internally by Anyanwu, Ihedioha, on March 28, 2023, announced his withdrawal from Imo PDP governorship primary ahead of the November 11, 2023, governorship election in the state.
Ihedioha’s withdrawal note from his party’s primary election is hereby reproduced “as I turned 58 years last Friday, March 24, I had cause to reflect on so many things, including the state of the people’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“Having been a member since its formation in 1998, I align myself with the request made by our state chapter to the national working committee (NWC) for a consensus choice of the candidate regarding the 2023 governorship primaries in the interest of harmony and unity of the party.
“I have elected to make the personal sacrifice of withdrawing from further participation in the processes leading to the emergence of the gubernatorial candidate.”
“This decision was not taken lightly. My commitment to the service of our people has never been in doubt, and am sure many of those who have on their own, already started mobilizing for me in Imo state will be disappointed. I sincerely seek their understanding and that of associates, admirers and particularly the electorate who have over the years aligned themselves and identified with my political aspirations.
“I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have served my various constituency both as a legislator and a governor. I am also proud of the positive impacts I made, particularly in the seven months I served as the governor of Imo state.”
That his withdrawal led to Anyanwu’s emergence as the party flag bearer for the governorship election unopposed and since April 23, 2024, Ihedioha and his Rebuild Imo political family have remained without a political party. Stranded if you ask me.
Six days after Ihedioha tended his resignation letter from the PDP, on April 29, 2024, he visited the only governor elected on the platform of Labour Party in Nigeria, Alex Otti, of Abia State. That Ihedioha’s visit to Otti in Abia State, fueled speculation that he was going to join LP, a political party that enjoys a lot of goodwill and following in the Eastern part of Nigeria.
But one year after, Ihedioha and his team of supporters are without a political party. They have been operating like a pressure group or like a Non Governmental Organization, offering no political direction for the state. Since Ihedioha resigned from the PDP he had not offered political strength to the state. As an opposition figure, I had yet to read or see him condemn the seemingly undemocratic actions carried out by the state government. Thereby leaving the state government unchecked. Could Ihedioha’s action be seen as a compromise that since he wasn’t in the ballot for the 2023 governorship election in the state, there was no need to keep offering opposition leadership in the state?.
Many political analysts argue that Ihedioha’s inability to join LP was because of its internal leadership crisis. Currently, LP has three national leadership factions, that may have stalled Ihedioha’s plan to join LP, a platform he intends to use to contest the November 2027 governorship election in the state.
There is another political thinking that Ihedioha is waiting for the outcome of PDP’s national secretary’s crisis. The school of thought says that should Anyanwu who is his political foe currently is successfully removed by the PDP governors Forum, himself and his political followers will return to PDP. The PDP national secretary crisis seems unabating. Will the Mbutu born strong politician wait longer?.
Another political commentary says that Ihedioha is patiently but anxiously waiting for the outcome of coalition movement being proposed by his political godfather, Atiku Abubakar. While PDP Governors Forum has dismissed that it is yet to be seen how far Ihedioha can bank on this to relaunch his dwindling political career.
While Ihedioha foot drags on which of the political parties to join, a year gone by, his strong political associates and followers are joining All Progressives Congress and the camp of the governor of the state. A political party and camp that ousted him from the Imo Douglas House in January, 2020.
Shocking among his strong men who have joined the APC and the Camp Hope are his Chief of Staff, Chris Okewulonu and his commissioner and running mate in the 2015 governorship election in the state, Chima Nnaji. There are many others who had decamped and were rewarded with appointments and other political patronages. If Ihedioha is not worried on how his strongmen and supporters are joining the camp of the man and structure that gave him his biggest political shock in life, then it should be said that he is definitely ( allegedly) the one sending them there to hold forth for him while he marks time outside and seeks alternative.
It is less than one year before the commencement of political engagements and activities ahead of the 2027 showdown, yet Ihedioha and his team are yet to find their bearing. Are they politically stranded or displaced?. How long more will Ihedioha and his Rebuild Imo political structure remain without a political platform?. Will Ihedioha join LP, if yes, which of the three leadership factions?. Will Ihedioha wait until Anyanwu is ousted by the PDP Governors Forum so that he returns to his former darling political party?. How long is he going to waiting for this?. Anyanwu and his political master Nyesom Wike are not ready to give up on this anytime soon. Will Ihedioha wait longer to see if the coalition talks will materialise so that he runs from there, that will definitely be a long wait.
Will he join APC, a party that gave him the biggest political punch of his life, that remains to be seen. Ihedioha must act fast while it is still day.
Okeoma, a journalist based in Owerri, Imo state, can be reached via okeoma78@gmail.com
