Recent report is that there is crisis in Imo APC as some key officers have abandoned the party. Those who left the party may not be highly placed and influential members of the party but it speaks of a trend we may see in the days to come. Very soon Governor Hope Uzodinma will become a real lame duck. But even now, he has started to become a lame duck because of the dynamics of his administration. Because of the transactional nature of the government, many people had expectations of political gains that have not materialized. And they have little faith of future rewards since many people have been promised and disappointed. So, they will abandon the camp whether openly or secretly. Governor Hope will be left alone. The game is almost up.
If I am in Governor Hope’s situation, I will do two things. First I will focus on Achieving one landmark developmental project that will really resound in the months and years to come. Second, I will work hard to give Imo a transformative leader as a successor so I can claim credit for the future greatness that such a leader will bring in Imo. The question is whether Governor Hope is capable of such focused achievements? I think he can. And I base it on the little I know of him.
I first met Governor Hope Uzodinma when I was adviser to Ojo Maduekwe as foreign affairs minister. Hope was one of those who always came around the house and we had warm interactions. He was always friendly and charismatic and had a way of winning hearts. Then, he was a business man who had contracts in Ministry of Transport when Ojo once headed. Later we met again when he was a Senator. I remember at one of such meetings, Senator Hope joked with me saying “Sam, you know you are the one who should be Governor of Imo State. But you cannot play this our politics”. We joked about the statement. When Hope was running for Governor we met again and he asked me to support him. I told him I could only help him with policy document but I would not join the APC after our debacle with APGA. I will stay out of political circle. When he became Governor with the help of the Supreme Court, I was invited to deliver the keynote at a retreat for his nominees as commissioners and aides. After the keynote we met in his office and discussed the nature of his government. I gave him a concept note on Imo Advisory Council on Policy and Program. This will be an honorary council of imo techniocrats who meet periodically to review and advise on policies and program, men and women who would not be inclined to take official positions in government but would be disposed to offer ideas to help the state. He loved the concept but nothing came out of it. We never met again until Ken Nnamani took me to meet him in his house in Abuja about Ken’s book project. Again, Hope reiterated his confidence that I can help him with good ideas. When he came with Tinubu to meet CAN leadership we met him again and he expressed the same sentiment but how I could be a great help. Finally we met at the Southeast Security and Economic Summit in Owerri. Jovially, he remarked that we have known each other for long and it is because of people like me that he brought the Charter of Equity.
I have mentioned these instances of relationship with Governor Hope to underline my goodwill towards him and the fact that I know his strengths and weaknesses. He is a very smart politician but not that strong with development ideas. No leader has all good qualities. Governor Hope has courage, guile, smartness and resilience. Those are great leadership qualities if used well. But he lacks the depth of ideas and policy acumen that transformative leaders should have. But that does not deprive him of legacy. As leadership scholars acknowledge, great leadership can take different forms. So Hope may lack deep intellectual or managerial acumen and still be an impactful leader.
So, now that Gov Hope is becoming a lame duck what should he do to secure a legacy for himself. First he needs to rejig his cabinet. He needs more smart people. He had made some good appointments like Mr. Ikpe and Mr Nwaobasi. A better cabinet can enable him to record a legacy project that will remain memorable after his tenure.
More than that project, Gov Hope’s legacy would be that he bequests to Imo people a new and better leader, a leader who can easily do those things he cannot do, a leader who comes from Owerri zone in line with his Charter of Equity. Governor Hope’s greatest achievement will be ending political conflict in imo in terms of perception of equity and justice. If he works hard to implement the Charter of Equity in a manner that provides political stability and transformation, he would have an enduring despite the current stumbling. Imo does not have to sacrifice transformation for stability. Imo needs real change.
So, Gov Hope can become legendary, despite his not too good record if he works hard to have as a successor a transformative leader from Owerri zone (preferably Ngor Okpala that has not produced a Governor, a Minister, or an Ambassador or a Senator).
If I am in Gov Hope’s situation now as someone who will soon be a lame duck I will focus on producing a successor who will exceedingly succeed and so retrospectively redeem my tenure.
There are many ways to be a legend. Changing the dynamics of politics to make room for the emergence of a transformer would feed into Hope’s unique skills and secure him a legacy beyond his demonstrated capabilities.
- Dr Sam Amadi
February 20, 2025
