Imo North Senatorial Zone: A Burden of Expectations on Frank IbezimShoulders

After more than a year without representation in the upper chamber of the Nigerian legislature – the Senate – the people of Imo North Senatorial District of Imo State recently, got a replacement for the late Senator Ben Uwajumogu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who died in December 2019.

Sir Frank Ibezim, a seasoned technocrat with diverse experience and expertise in the areas of education, technology, operations, finance and management, is the man to champion the cause of his people till the end of the Ninth Senate. He was elected on the platform of the APC like his predecessor.

He brings to the job experience from top public service positions at both the state and federal government levels. He served as Imo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources (2014-2015); Special Adviser (Political) to Minister of State for Education (2015-2019); Board Member, Governing Council, Federal College of Education, Gombe; Member of the Federal Government Committee on Assessment of Needs of Unity Schools as well as one-time Managing Director, Imo Poultry Limited where he was credited with revamping the moribund Avutu Poultry, the largest poultry in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Imo North, otherwise known as Okigwe Zone, is comprised of six out of the 27 local government areas in Imo State. They are Ihitte Uboma, Ehime Mbano, Isiala Mbano, Obowo, Okigwe and Onuimo. It is the home of Second Republic governor of old Imo State, the legendary Chief Sam Onunaka Mbakwe; former Governor of Imo State Chief Ikedi Ohakim, frontline political leader,  the late great historian, Prof. Adiele Afigbo; one-time Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu; another great scholar, poet and literary guru, Prof. Michael Echeruo; one of Nigeria’s female lawn tennis greats of the 70s, Cecelia Nnadozie; Nigeria’s manufacturing great and one time Minister of Industries, Engr. Charles Ugwu, frontline political leader and construction industry mogul, Chief Tony Chukwu and the incumbent Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, among several others.

For Ibezim, who was sworn-in on April 27, it was a long road to the Red Chamber. The election that produced him was none like any other though electoral contests at any level in Imo North had never been tea parties given the vast majority of eminently qualified sons and daughters of the district, who usually get involved in the process.  

The December 5, 2020 bye-election was subjected to controversy until the Supreme Court delivered judgement in Ibezim’s favour on April 5. The rest, as the saying goes, is now history.

Having scaled the legal hurdle and rightfully taken his seat in the Senate, it is yet more challenges for Ibezim. A legislator makes laws, and in the process, strives to ensure that his or her constituency is not short-changed; advocates for his or her people in job placement, ensures access to opportunities, protects his or her constituents from injustice and attracts projects, among many other dividends of democracy.

While Ibezim is not unaware of these responsibilities, he is also expected to add to the ability of the zone to challenge for plum political representation come 2023, particularly, as the South-East demands that each of the major political parties cedes their respective presidential tickets to the zone. This demand is neither strange nor unrealisable. It has happened before. The closest historical antecedent was in 1999 when Nigeria’s power brokers decided that the South-West geo-political zone should produce the president.

Though expectations from the Imo North senator appear enormous, he has the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma and the minister the state, Hon. Nwajiuba (a former member of the House of Representatives), the two members of the House of Representatives from the senatorial district – Miriam Onouha (Okigwe North) and Chike Okafor (Okigwe South) as well as the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Paul Emeziem, as partners to leverage on.

By voting for the APC to replace the late Senator Uwajumogu, the people of Imo North have reinforced the right of the South-East to stake a bet on the party’s presidential nomination for the 2023 presidential election.

To this end, Ibezim is expected to rally his constituents to uncompromisingly and unequivocally, support their son, Hon. Nwajiuba, who is being touted in several quarters as a likely successor to President Muhammadu Buhari. The Minister of State for Education, through deft political manoeuvres, unobtrusive people empowerment and infrastructure development, is changing lives for the better, not just in the zone but in the South-East and beyond.

Meanwhile, the man on whose shoulder lays the aspiration of Imo North people, has pledged to provide effective representation through sacrificial service, and continuing in the finest traditions of noble leaders of the zone, while pursuing excellence. He declared his readiness for that in a statement during his inauguration.

His words: “Today, as I am sworn in as the senator representing Imo North Senatorial District, we celebrate the triumph of truth over falsehood, of hope over despair, of fresh renewal and determination to recover the years that the locusts and cankerworms have eaten. The victory belongs to Ndi Okigwe who have been short-changed for long of the fullness of representation in the Red Chamber. Today the agony is over, Okigwe people can heave a sigh of relief, now we can breathe the fresh air filled with hope. 

“With the oath of office which I took, I have become the no 6th Senator to serve Okigwe zone in this great Senate chambers. Humbly, I offer myself to continue diligently in the mission of putting our Imo North people and their interests first, to push the frontiers of democracy dividends to reach the nook and cranny of every village hamlet, and to ensure the utilization of our vast untapped land and human resources for unparalleled agrarian and industrial revolution. I pledge to accomplish this through the pursuit of quality value adding policy making in the Senate which places the interest of our people first above all else.

“Quality representation is all about service, about sacrifice, about applying competence and capacity to duty, and letting compassion drive and moderate strategic actions. The interests we promote include pursuing policies and legislation that will unleash the potentials of our people. At the apex, it speaks to the imperative of creating opportunities for necessary skills acquisition for our youths through technical and vocational training.

“I believe in the intrinsic value of using the legislative platform to open up socio-economic frontiers for our people, removing many from abject poverty to wealth creation, from the ravages of unemployment to becoming employers of labour, and from hopelessness to hopeful generations built on shared interests and shared benefits

“I have a sense of the needs of our people from my varied experiences and engagements in political engineering, and in the dedicated service that I have rendered in the past. My vision and mission remain to provide competent, capable and compassionate leadership that not only sustains but surpasses the democracy dividends ever enjoyed in the zone. I also bring a willingness to partner with His Excellency Gov. Hope Uzodinma and act as a strong catalyst for synergy and unification our great Imo people, and also of our great party, the APC, and ultimately for the greater socio-economic development of Okigwe zone, ditto, Imo state.

So, I ask our good people to unite… And I add that when we unite and look at the big picture, there is no mountain too high that we can’t surmount; no valley too deep we can’t climb out. So, let’s get to work. The night has been long, the day has been far spent, there is no more time to waste. I put my hand to the plough focused on the enormous work ahead, determined not to look back until we accomplish our noble quest. I invite you, all men and women of goodwill to join me as we move. Forward ever, backward never.” 

Will Senator Frank Ibezim match his words with action? Only time will tell.