Emeka Iheadioha, for Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives and governor of Imo state, has set the ball rolling for the good governance of Imo state after eight years of the iron rule of Rochas Okorocha, of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the state.
Ihedioha has left no one in doubt that he was well prepared to provide good governance for the state with the firstfour members of the kitchen Cabinet appointed, regarded in political circles in the state as very experienced. to help steer the ship of the state. They are Uche Onyeagucha Chris Okewulonu, Chima Nwana and Chinemerem Madu. The appointments were said to have been made barely four days after been sworn in as governor by the state Chief Judge. This is a big departure from the past where the governors had spent weeks in office before making their key appointments into the government, thus making it difficult to effectively implement their programme.
A Statement released by Chibuike Onyeukwu, the Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the governor, shows that the appointees , who may have passed the state House of Assembly screening exercise have been assigned with their respective portfolios. The good news was that Onyeguocha, a Lawyer, , who had at one time represented Owerri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007 and had also served as a Special Adviser on Policy and Strategic matters to a former governor of the state ,, was said to have been assigned to the sensitive portfolio of the Secretary to the government, regarded as the engine house as all Commissioners and other political appointees must always get clearance from his office on any proposal. Many see him as the right hand man of the governor as they understands each other better politically.
Nyesom Wike : Governor Of Rivers State
Okelonu, another major appointee of the governor , and who
incidentally, was also a Lawyer, and a
formember of the state House of Assembly,
was said to have been assigned to the of the Chief Staff Officer. Util his appointment, the lawyer, was said to have occupied various positions of trust in past
People’s Democratic , PDP, government in state as Commissioner and a former Secretary to the state government, an indication that he
was not a political neophyte.
Note, that the Chief of Staff had also served as a Federal Commissioner ,representing the south east geo-political region in the Federal government established Fiscal Responsibility Commission. PDP sources disclosed that hewas the Director General of Ikedioha Campaign Organisation between 2013 and 2015. The Obbowo local government born politician has seen it all that Ikedioha needed him to stabilise his government.
Given the demand of
the office of the Chief of Staff , the CPS, disclosed that the governor appointed, another experienced politician, in the person of Nwana to assist him in doing the job A
fellow of the Institute of
Chartered Mediators and Con ciliators ,
ICMC, Maritime Consultant and Chartered Mediator, he is expected to bring to bear his experience as a governance expert into
the new government.
Recall that he has at one time served as Special Assistant to the ministers of Commerce and Industry as well as Employment, Labour and Productivity. Moreso, he had served in various Committe set up by the Fedreal government in the past including the Committee on Maritime Security and ministerial Committee on National Transport Commision, which makes him one of the most exposed in the rank of the political appointees.
Chinemerem, the governor’s Chief of Protocol, who was a former Chairman of PDP, IN Ezinnihitte local government Area, holds an MBA. He is to be assisted in doing the governor’s office Protocol job by Madu ,nother experienced politician. It is not surprising why Ihedioha, is very happy that with calibre of introduced into his kitchen Cabinet he is no choice but to deliver on his electioneering Campaign promises in the state.
Political analysts would want governor who have not made any appoint into their government yet to take a cue from Ihedioha, who has set the pace. Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state may not have difficulty in making his political appointments , as he has promised that those who had worked with him inhis first term in office would be retained in this his second term. This is good news for easy implementation of the party programmes.
