By Kelechi Mejuobi
The recent unveiling of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, as party platform for the Coalition, a group of politicians greatly opposed to the continuation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and APC in office, come 2027, has confirmed a new dimension in the politics of Imo State, South Eastern part of Nigeria.
The changing political climate at the national stage has further exposed the seeming crevasse between two political actors in the state; Chukwuemeka Nkem Ihedioha, a former House of Reps Deputy Speaker and governor of Imo State under the PDP, whose tenure was shortlived in Government House, Owerri and Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, otherwise known as Sam Daddy, a Senator who represented Owerri Zone 2015-2019, now National Secretary of the PDP.
The recent show at the Yar Adua Center in Abuja saw Ihedioha officially bid farewell to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, where he had achieved greater political landmarks in the past. For record purposes, Ihedioha remained one of those who gave PDP ranking name in Imo State. Apart from using the party for a record three times to win House of Representatives seat and represented Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, he won the governorship ticket of the party in 2015 and succeeded with it in 2019 to become the state governor before the Supreme Court removed him from office.
Barely 24 hours after his remarkable opening prayer at the event centre which marked the beginning of Coalition existence in ADC, Ihedioha rushed back to Owerri from Abuja to meet his Rebuild Imo Project political family where he enjoined them to move into ADC as their new party platform. Before now, Ihedioha had pulled out from the PDP by excluding himself alongside followers in all activities of the party at both state and national levels. Ihedioha announced his withdrawal April last year and moved on with the Rebuild Imo Project followers.
His Rebuild Imo Project romance with ADC explicitly indicated end of an era with the PDP that earned him titles in the present political setup, including House of Representatives Deputy Speaker position.
Watchers of politics in Imo State need no fortune teller to reveal that Ihedioha’s withdrawal from PDP may not be unconnected with fissures traced to Sam Daddy.
FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike capped it all when he alleged that Ihedioha’s distance to PDP and new found love for ADC has to do with the continued stay of Sam Daddy as the scribe of the umbrella party.
The former governor of Rivers State while casting aspersions on some national figures of the present ADC who left their various parties to form the Coalition, opined that Ihedioha left PDP because Sam Daddy was not removed as the party’s national secretary.
Wike’s claim about Ihedioha leaving PDP because of the continued stay of Sam Daddy as National Secretary has not only been winning attention in the political atmosphere of Imo State but also suggesting something has gone sour in the relationship between the two top flight politicians from Owerri zone.
Similar to Ihedioha’s trajectory in the field of politics, Sam Daddy’s life has continued to revolve around PDP since our nascent democracy debuted. The Ikeduru LGA born politician became Executive Chairman of his council under PDP and went ahead to win back-to-back election as House of Assembly member representing Ikeduru State Constituency under the same party platform. In 2015, he moved to Abuja using PDP flag as Senator for Owerri Zone and for three years has been functioning as the party’s scribe in the Federal Capital Territory.
Those close to Ihedioha and Sam Daddy knew both had been associates before an unprecedented cold war crept in and snowballed into bitter rivalry.
Ihedioha and Sam Daddy had been strong allies within the PDP household. Their affinity blossomed in the run up to the 2015 general elections. Late Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu during his lifetime was a key playmaker in the politics of Imo State. The Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo titled chieftaincy holder was not just a statesman, but also an oracle in the field of politics as several persons, especially Imolites who made it big in the sector must have had his blessings and support. It’s not in doubt that Ihedioha and Sam Daddy associated with him greatly. It was believed that Sam Daddy was his “political boy” and Ihedioha related well with Chief, to earn a shot in Government House, Owerri as Governor. It was disclosed that Iwuanyanwu was instrumental to the synergy Ihedioha and Sam Daddy struck before and during the 2015 election. The late sage was reported to have played a pivotal role in their emergence as governorship and senatorial candidates of the PDP respectively. The 2015 Senate victory of Sam Daddy cannot be divorced from Ihedioha prowess in the Mbaise and Ngor Okpala areas. Similarly, Sam Daddy was part of Ihedioha’s kitchen cabinet and worked assiduously for his governorship victory which couldn’t come in 2015 as Ihedioha lost to Rochas Okorocha of APC. Available records showed that they campaigned together for the success of PDP in 2015 election. Despite the outcome, which favoured one and left the other as loser, both worked closely in the 2015 post election era and remained in the party.
As 2019 election drew closer, schisms that led to their separation appeared. The arrival of Ezenwa Onyewuchi into the scene produced skirmishes between Ihedioha and Sam Daddy.
I may not be a member of the inner caucus of the PDP to tell a better story of what actually transpired, but there is no doubt that the deep crack of 2019 is manifesting till date. Attempts by Sam Daddy to get Ihedioha’s backing for a return ticket to Senate was not forthcoming. Instead, it was Ezenwa Onyewuchi who got favoured. It was well known that during Ihedioha’s days in the House of Reps, Ezenwa Onyewuchi was his buddy. Ezenwa won a return ticket to Reps under PDP in 2015 after abandoning APGA that gave him the opportunity. He aimed for Senate in 2019 against the wish of Sam Daddy. Apparently aware of the game plan to stop his second term ambition through the introduction of Onyewuchi, since there was no backing from Ihedioha, Sam Daddy jettisoned the Senate bid for a Governorship slot of the PDP; an action that pitched him against Ihedioha. This was the cradle of disaffection between the two political gladiators from Imo. Despite Ihedioha winning primaries of the PDP and general elections of 2019 governorship, Sam Daddy stood his ground and challengeg him till the Supreme Court sacked Ihedioha from office. The ill wind arousing hostility between the two blossomed.
A reprieve came latter when Sam Daddy showed intention for the National Secretary job of the PDP. Ihedioha had no option than to accept the decision of the PDP rank and file who adopted the lawmaker for the position.
Irrespective of the funfare that greeted Sam Daddy becoming PDP national secretary during the party’s national Congress in Abuja with their photo shows in joyful mood, salivating the new position with reconciliation process was still far. Latter events showed that loyalists of Ihedioha were schemed out of relevance in the affairs of the party while those of Sam Daddy gained more attention. The internal bickerings in Imo PDP became intensed with the state structure under Ihedioha’s control at war with Sam Daddy’s forces at the national level. Gradually, allies of Ihedioha who were State officials of the party resigned en masse. Before 2023 elections, the centre can no longer hold in the Imo State chapter arising from the Ihedioha/Sam Daddy rivalry. While some recoiled to their shelves, others joined the ruling APC and today appointees of Governor Hope Uzodimma. Reason not far from allegations of maltreatment in the hands of Sam Daddy who explored his national position to deal with the Ihedioha allies. A destabilized Ihedioha, left with no option had to quit the party leaving Sam Daddy and followers firm control the PDP in Imo State. In the 2023 election Sam Daddy ran the governorship race, Ihedioha and supporters kept off scene and the PDP couldn’t win a single LGA from the 27 councils in the state.
The unveiling of ADC as platform for the Coalition which Ihedioha and followers have embraced appears to be an evidence of the disaffection between the two. The development has seen the former Reps Deputy Speaker break away from PDP leaving Sam Daddy completely in charge. Events trailing the coming of ADC and what is left of PDP ahead 2027 will tell more about the Ihedioha and Sam Daddy ego trip as parties beat war drums for next general electiions.
Mejuobi, Owerri based journalist, Co-Publisher of Trumpeta Newspapers writes on contemporary issues
