IMO POLITICS: WHY SAM AMADI WILL NEVER BE HOPE UZODIMMA

By Declan Emelumba

Dr Sam Amadi’s recent deprecatory tirade against Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of Imo State, was a new low for a man who had made two attempts at the governorship of Imo state in 2019 and 2023. For a man who has consistently dropped the name of Uzodimma to gain a mileage in his futile political ambition, this open attack dripping with venom of jealousy, desperation and frustration, might have been a last ditch attempt at attracting the attention of the governor for the sole purpose of making him the preferred successor in 2027. But his strategy totally backfired as he exposed himself as an empty vessel whose hubris prevents him from embracing the fundamental political principle of ‘stooping to conquer.’

Since February 20, 2025 when he published an article titled: ‘If I am Governor Hope Uzodimma’, I have waited to see if he would disown any part of his condescending treatise, in which he portrayed Uzodimma as lacking the ideas necessary to govern Imo State. Since none of such had happened, I take it that Sam Amadi is, as usual, unapologetic and not remorseful of his ill-advised and ill-motivated article aimed at not only diminishing the person and office of the Governor but the entire electorate who chose him as their leader first in 2019 and again in 2023.

The moment Sam Amadi made reference to the Supreme Court making Uzodimma governor, it became obvious where he was coming from and where he was headed. I expected him to further repudiate the overwhelming mandate of the November 11th, 2023 governorship election where Uzodimma won in every of the 27 local government areas of the state. Somehow, he restrained himself. His sense of entitlement, his vacuous assertion that he possesses the magic wand to rewrite Uzodimma’s performance history and act as his redeemer, reek of a drunken sailor bent on spending his last coin at the shore, hoping in vain to sleep away his hallucinations and troubles once aboard ship. Unfortunately for him, this is real life, and Amadi needs to wake up to that reality.

This is the summary of Sam Amadi’s submission in his own words: ‘If I am in Governor Hope’s situation, I will do two things. First, I will focus on achieving one landmark development 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 to Imo.’ Again, he declared with magisterial finality, ‘I know his strengths and weaknesses. He is a very smart politician,but not that strong with development ideas’. And without leaving anything in doubt, he named himself that transformative leader thus: ‘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).’

The loose interpretation of Sam Amadi’s submission is that Governor Hope Uzodimma has not achieved anything to warrant a legacy, which is the reason he wants him to achieve just one that he would be remembered for. The second is that he requires a successor under whose achievements he will hide under to claim credit. The third is that the governor is not deep in ideas and, therefore, would always be incapacitated by that disability. And finally, he MUST APPOINT A GOVERNOR FROM NGOR OKPALA.

Let us first of all examine what an idea is. The dictionary defines an idea as a thought, visualisation, or suggestion for a possible course of action. Amadi claims Uzodimma “lacks ideas,” yet this same Uzodimma successfully ran for Senate twice and won, representing Imo West Senatorial District. He also ran for governor twice and won, first in 2019 (even if the Supreme Court had to restore his stolen mandate) and again, overwhelmingly, in 2023. A fool could not have mustered the tenacity to fight his case up to the Supreme Court.

Conversely, the self-proclaimed ‘man of ideas,’ Sam Amadi, has failed in two gubernatorial attempts. As Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), his tenure was marred by ineptitude, corruption, and an inability to regulate anything effectively. Under his watch, despite existing regulations, there was a free-for-all importation of generators into the country. He lacked the initiative to enforce rules against the perpetrators. It is telling that NERC workers celebrated his exit from the Commission. Yet, this same man now wants to pontificate about ideas and governance.

Beyond Amadi’s laughable claims, his sweeping generalization that Uzodimma has achieved nothing is empirically false. As a native of Ngor Okpala, has he not seen the dual carriageway leading to Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport? Has he not witnessed the installation of night-landing facilities, the first in 30 years, at the airport, a project facilitated by Governor Uzodimma? He must have traveled through Orlu or Okigwe and seen the ultra-modern roads built under Uzodimma’s leadership. Ideas drove the formulation and execution of these projects; over 120 roads completed in just five years.

Currently, Uzodimma is spearheading one of the most ambitious economic projects since the creation of Imo: the dredging of Oguta Lake to the Atlantic Ocean. The Orashi Free Trade Zone is also in the works, promising immense economic benefits. When completed, this project will transform the economy of Imo State and the entire Southeast. Was this Amadi’s idea? In a few months, all the communities in Imo State will have uninterrupted power supply, courtesy of Uzodimma’s Light Up Imo Project geared towards the total industrialization of the state. Whose idea was that? Is this not a single transformative project, more than enough to define Uzodimma’s legacy?

It was Uzodimma who conceptualized and implemented the SkillUp Imo project, through which over 40,000 youths have been trained in digital skills, either establishing their own businesses or securing employment overseas. The revamping of health and education institutions in the state point to a deliberate effort by a man who is not just determined to make a difference in governance but has gone ahead to ensure that civil servants and pensioners receive their salaries and pensions in time. UZODIMMA actually prioritises the welfare of the people and the overall development of the state. That is his covenant with the people. That is the real essence of governance.

Beyond that, Gov. Hope Uzodimma, contrary to the insinuations by Amadi and his band of cynics, came prepared to be the governor of the state. He was the first and only aspirant to address stakeholders from different spheres in the state on his manifesto that is anchored on his shared prosperity agenda built on reconstruction, rehabilitation, and recovery. He itemised his developmental initiatives and the framework for their realisation. Ever since his election and reelection, Uzodimma has been faithful to those ideals. Sam Amadi is perhaps angry that his proposal for a policy forum to ‘guide’ the administration was not given due consideration by the governor. Since he could not be the consultant of the government and since, according to him, he had been humoured by Uzodimma as a governorship material, now is the ripe time for the realisation of that malaria-induced dream.

The only problem is that he missed the point that power is never given but taken. I thank God that at least he credited Uzodimma with the brilliant idea of implementation of the Imo Charter of Equity ahead of the 2027 general election. The illusion that power should be ceded to not only Owerri zone but Ngor Okpala in particular will soon burst in the faces of Sam Amadi and his co-travellers in this bizarre blackmail tactic they are employing. I am aware that a few serious persons from the Owerri zone are working zealously to sell their candidature to the people who will be involved both in the primaries and the main elections. They have since moved away from the dreaming stage of chasing power.

When Sam Amadi glibly wrote about a transformative leader that Imo needs, it appeared that he could not recognise such a leadership already before him in Imo State. The Igbo ask: how many lions must a man kill before he is called a Lion Killer? The future he talked about is already before him, but he is politically blind to acknowledge Senator Hope Uzodimma as that transformative leader.

In leadership studies, several established theories define effective leadership. Trait Theory (certain innate qualities make a leader), Behavioral Theory (leadership is shaped by environment), Transformational Leadership (leaders inspire followers to exceed expectations), Contingency Theory (leadership style depends on the situation), Great Man Theory (leaders are born, not made), Transactional Leadership (leaders motivate through rewards and structure), Servant Leadership (leaders prioritise others’ needs), and Authentic Leadership (leaders demonstrate genuineness, integrity, and self-awareness).

Uzodimma epitomizes authentic leadership, a leader whose transparency and vision have earned him the people’s trust.

Therefore, the resignations of a few inconsequential APC members do not make Uzodimma a ‘lame-duck’ governor. On the contrary, more prominent figures are defecting from other parties to join the APC due to Uzodimma’s charismatic leadership. As Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, his influence extends beyond Imo State and the Southeast; it is national. That influence is not about to vanish, despite Sam Amadi’s delusional thinking.

The truth is simple: Sam Amadi can never be Hope Uzodimma, because Uzodimma is not synonymous with failure.

…Emelumba is the Commissioner for Information, Public orientation and Strategy, Imo State