By Chidinma Omar
That Imo State needs help is obvious from the deserted premises of luxury hotels and entertainment spots littered all over its sprawling capital, Owerri.
Describing the city as a near ghost town would be taking matters to the extreme, but compared to its prime days as the heartland of entertainment and relaxation centre, one may not be far from the truth.
It is from Imo’s political space one can notice the graveyard-like silence and unease. Following the January 14, 2020 Supreme Court judgment that installed Hope Uzodimma as governor, and the state of insecurity which trailed it, the state gradually lost the vibrancy and fervour of its politics. This home of political juggernauts like the Mbadiwes, Nzeribes, Mbakwes and Iwuanyanwus all of blessed memory became a theatre of the absurd as sycophants and yes-men penetrated and seized its politics. Violence, assassinations and intimidation forced the real political actors out of the state or into silence.
It was in this state of anomie that Governor Hope Uzodimma after a dismal first term outing sought a second term re-election. Uzodimma emergence via a Supreme Court ruling was like a bride whose white ensemble was disfigured by tell-tale blot. All the people acknowledged was that the powers that be had subverted their will. The ordinary man on the streets derisively dismissed him as a ‘Supreme Court’ governor. At another extreme, there was increase in violent crimes including killings of security personnel and kidnappings of innocent citizens. Not even the overbearing presence of Federal Government security apparatus brought any relieve.
It was during the countdown to the election that Dr Fabian Ihekweme, a political scientist and former Commissioner for International Relations in the Uzodimma administration brokered a masterstroke by mobilising stakeholders and Imo’s political elite to form the Imo Social Contract Group (ISCG), a movement cutting across party lines and political affiliations that offered to support Uzodimma if he promised a people-centric administration
“We wanted a government that would grow the economy, reduce poverty through skills acquisition for youths and jobs creation and tackle head on the insecurity in the state
“Summarily, our conversations gave birth to the Imo Social Contract Group (ISCG), a movement aimed at reviewing the relationship between the government and the people of Imo State”, Ihekweme said.
And at a widely publicised outing at the prestigious Landmark Event Centre, New Owerri on Sept 23, 2023, Gov Uzodimma bought into ISCG’s agenda.
And nearly two years into his second term, he completely ignored the group, and as Ihekweme attempted to remind the now imperious governor, he was brutally forced into silence.
He was later abducted and clamped into illegal detention at the notorious Tiger Base Police detention centre for 62 days and was only released for medical attention as his health deteriorated.
Ihekweme is not an unknown quantity in Imo politics, formerly of the PDP, he contested for the state governorship in 2007 under the defunct DPP. He subsequently returned to the PDP and towards the 2019 election keyed into the Uzodimma’s governorship project, and following the success of the project, he emerged as Commissioner.
Indeed, under the Uzodimma administration, Imolites have lost their verve, as murders, kidnapping and various acts of insecurity bedeviled the state. Individuals and businesses fled the state. The voice of the opposition was silenced, the press was cowed and the people bowed in fear of the unknown and harsh reality of economic strangulation.
After the second term re-election, the powers that be assumed that Imolites had been muzzled and subjugated, however, Ihekweme’s voice rang out against the injustice and misgovernance in the state with an Elijah-like fiery reprimand. And in the same manner the authorities turned against the prophet, Elijah, Ihekweme was pursued from pillar to post.
Paid agents of the Uzodimma administration heckled and cooked up all kinds of allegations against him on the social media. The attack against Ihekweme was orchestrated and led by the Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Declan Emelumba who alleged that “… Ihekweme was audaciously asking for N500 million (Five hundred million Naira) to cease the media attacks on Gov Uzodimma.”
Sadly, after Ihekweme was abducted from his Abuja home, ferried back to Owerri and locked up in the notorious Tiger Base Police detention centre for 62 days, no charges were laid against him. It was the outcry of his family, series of petitions to the police and finally a court order that facilitated his release from detention on a sick bed.
As permutations for the next occupant of Douglas House – the sobriquet for Imo State Government House – moves into high gear, Ihekweme has been remembered for his stabilising role and his name is gaining traction and resonance with Imolities as a quality occupant for Douglas House.
Projecting what they described as a prison to palace transition for Ihekweme, a socio-political pressure group, Okigwe Solidarity Movement, OSM, are promising to mobilize political, moral and financial support for Ihekweme to throw his hat into the governorship race.
“Ihekweme is the Nelson Mandela of Imo State. It is on record that no single Imo person of Ihekweme’s status in the society has had the courage to stick out his neck and speak truth to power the way he has done.
Others are hibernating in Abuja and other places waiting for the next election time to come and mesmerize the electorate with their usual charade. But this time around, the bubble has burst and their antics exposed”, the National President of the group, Chief Leo Nwachukwu, declared.
Nwachukwu, while addressing newsmen in Owerri, argued that for speaking out when others chose silence, Ihekweme paid the ultimate price for the love of Imo people.
“When others remained silent, their voices muted by self-interest, Omu (Seer, nickname for Ihekweme) stood tall. He spoke out, he acted, and he paid a price for his courage – a price few would dare to bear.
His unwavering commitment to the people has earned him a place in their hearts that no smear campaign can erode.
“Ihekweme was arrested and detained for months as a result of his critical disposition to the anti-people programme and policies of the current administration in the state. He has demonstrated unusual courage, love and concern for the plight of Imo people who he said have never had it so bad”.
Nwachukwu maintained that contrary to the usual practice of leaders folding their hands and watching helplessly while all kinds of atrocities are perpetrated only to surface at election time, Ihekweme has consistently stood against bad governance and allegations of misappropriations even at personal risk.
“He has demonstrated the capacity to govern the state fearlessly. Hence, all well meaning leaders and stakeholders in Okigwe zone have decided to mobilize support for him. Besides, he already knows the wishes, aspirations and challenges of Imo people in addition to the deceitful shenanigans of the ruling class.
“Gone are the days when money alone and not capacity determined a person’s ability to emerge victorious in an election. Ihekweme’s relentless advocacy for good governance and indepth analysis of happenings in the corridors of power has sensitized Imo people on how the state’s funds have allegedly been mismanaged with reckless impunity. That is why he is being hunted, harassed, intimidated and threatened by those whose secrets he has exposed for the benefit of the people,” he said.
Definitely, the 2027 governorship race would be beyond adoptions and rethoric by interest groups. Imo State’s governorship election is often fiercely contested and would even be more fierce in 2027 for several reasons. First, the incumbent APC-led administration dominates the politics of the state and would definitely not allow itself to be shoved aside from the seat of power.
Secondly, the degeneration of the state from centre of relaxation and hospitality to hotbed of violence and persisting challenges of insecurity, killings, destructions and kidnappings poses restrictions on mass mobilisation and electioneering.
However, Chinecherem Okechukwu, a public affairs analyst argued that Ihekweme has what it takes.
“Omu’s adversaries fail to grasp that he is not just a man, he is a movement, guided by divine purpose. Time and again, the plots of his enemies have crumbled, their schemes falling apart like houses of sand. There is a reason God has preserved Dr. Ihekweme’s life, a reason his light continues to shine despite the storms. As the saying goes, ‘stronger than an army is an idea whose time has come.’ And no force can stand against a man whose path is illuminated by divine favour.
“Ndi Imo are ready to pour their heart into a leader who truly carries their dreams in his heart. It’s a powerful reminder of a timeless truth: when a leader serves with integrity and compassion, the loyalty and devotion of the people follow naturally—no coercion, no manipulation, just pure, heartfelt allegiance
“Ndi Imo are not just calling for a leader; they are heralding a transformation. Let those who oppose him take heed, you cannot fight a man who walks with God and expect to prosper. The time for change is now, and the heart of Imo beats for Omu”, he said.
Riding on the fact that Orlu zone has for 24 years produced the governos, there are expectations that Owerri and Okigwe zones would battle it out in order to give expression to the much talked about Charter of Equity.
Indeed, there are speculations that the incumbent Governor Hope Uzodimma has promised to pass the baton to Owerri zone. But everyone is taking this with a pinch of salt as no governor since 1999 has been able to produce his successor. Can Uzodimma possibly break the jinx?
Ihekweme, asked if he is prepared to take up the gauntlet, replied:
“The river does not flow backward, it carves a new path with purpose and strength.
“There is no doubt that our dear state needs urgent rescue and if I have the opportunity, I will re-define governance in and create a lifeline for every Imo citizen and no graduate from Imo State will ever suffer again to be gainfully employed.
“The funds are there to work with, but unfortunately, those entrusted with the funds are heavily corrupt and dishonest. Imo people will return home with their investments because I will create an enabling environment that cannot be equalled anywhere.
“I am used to a moderate lifestyle but I will promote young billionaires who will form the economic powerhouse of Imo State. That’s the difference between me and the rest. Greed and envy are the bane of our underdevelopment. Our so-called leaders are not ready to create wealth and empower our people, they have privatized governance and weaponised hunger. Imo State needs a fearless and knowledgeable man to call the bluff of the criminals in governance.”
Again Okechukwu pays tribute to what he calls Ihekweme’s sterling qualities.
“Ihekweme fell out with his former associates because he consistently championed fiscal discipline, frowned at inflated contracts and mismanagement in public projects. He was an unrelenting advocate for policy-driven solutions, prioritizing education reforms, accessible healthcare, and job creation through local entrepreneurship.
“Ihekweme’s focus on accountability, economic innovation, and citizen empowerment makes him not just a contender, but the transformative leader Imo urgently needs to shape a prosperous future”, he submitted.
As midnight meetings and negotiations take the centre stage ahead the 2027 governorship race, it is obvious that the battle would be beyond adoptions and rethoric, it promises to be a long night.
•Omar is a journalist and blogger and can be reached at [email protected]