Ikedi Ohakim: Where Experience Meets Purpose, And Why Imo Must Not Gamble 2027

——–Why Imo Must Choose Experience Over Experiment

By Barr Ekeledirichukwu Asikaogu Oruwari

Ikedi Ohakim is a man cool on the outside but burning with passion for Imo State on the inside. He earned the respect he commands today—not through sentiment, nostalgia, or bombastic rhetoric—but through action and achievement during his four-year tenure as Imo’s second elected governor in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.

Since leaving office nearly 15 years ago, Ohakim’s name has continued to echo across Imo’s political landscape. After a politically orchestrated power play in 2011—an event now openly admitted and even chronicled in books by some of its architects—Ohakim made an unusual choice: he conceded and declined to challenge the result in court. In a political culture where post-election litigation often drags on for years, his concession was strikingly rare—and refreshingly patriotic.

His path to power was as dramatic as his exit. In 2007, Ohakim emerged governor after a rerun election, supported by the same PDP he had just exited in protest of a flawed primary process. Running under the lesser-known Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA), his victory marked both defiance and destiny.

Though his term ended amidst yet another controversial election—where supplementary polls had to be conducted in three local government areas and the result of an election he overwhelmingly won was fraudulently overturned—it did not end his relevance. To many, Ohakim’s story remains unfinished. His legacy, his ideas, and his vision continue to inspire. The call for his return in 2027 is not about recycling leadership—it is about restoring purposeful governance.

Vision and Tangible Achievements

Job creation stands tall among Ohakim’s enduring legacies. His administration implemented wide-ranging reforms that touched lives across the state—spanning education, health, agriculture, and infrastructure—at a time when many other states stagnated amid national economic challenges.

Through initiatives like the Imo Road Maintenance Agency (IROMA), his government created over 30,000 jobs. According to state labor data at the time, 10,000 graduates were employed in 2008 alone, and 5,000 teachers were recruited. These were not ad hoc appointments, but structured policies aimed at reducing youth unemployment and building a skilled workforce.

Under Ohakim, Imo witnessed extensive road construction, including the ambitious Imo Freeway and the Inner Ring Road. His rural development efforts were far-reaching, while his environmental reforms—most notably the Clean and Green Initiative and the establishment of ENTRACO (Imo State Environmental Transformation Commission)—earned Imo three consecutive national awards for environmental excellence.

True, not all projects reached full completion. The Oguta Wonder Lake tourism initiative remains unfinished due to the abrupt and unjust truncation of his tenure. Yet, Ohakim’s economic foresight was evident. He envisioned diversifying Imo’s economy beyond federal allocations—something few leaders dared consider then, or even now.

Leadership with a Human Face

What set Ohakim apart wasn’t just what he did, but how he did it. His leadership was inclusive, transparent, and people-centered. He governed with an open-door policy—listening, engaging, and responding. Teachers, healthcare workers, youth groups, and civil servants knew they had not only an advocate but a friend in the Government House.

He prioritized women’s empowerment, youth inclusion, and protection of marginalized communities. He established the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC) to statutorily channel 40% of Imo’s 13% derivation allocation toward addressing underdevelopment and environmental degradation in oil-producing areas. His administration uplifted—he did not merely administer.

In a political environment often marred by strongman tactics, Ohakim’s ability to build consensus across party and ethnic lines brought stability. His was a government that practiced unity, not just preached it.

A Leader Who Has Grown

Over the last decade and a half, Ohakim has demonstrated political maturity and personal growth. In a widely discussed television interview, he advised Nigerian youth to acquire vocational and entrepreneurial skills—even after formal education. He shared that he, too, has learned carpentry and welding since leaving office—stressing that any person without a skill is like “an animal in the bush” with nothing to contribute to society.

That humility and transformation set him apart. Unlike many former leaders who spend their post-office years hurling stones from the sidelines, Ohakim has consistently supported collaborative governance. He encouraged Governor Hope Uzodimma to complete inherited projects and uphold laudable policies from previous administrations. To him, legacy matters more than ego.

In a nation where every new government dismantles the efforts of its predecessor, Ohakim’s approach is not only rare—it is necessary.

Lessons from His Successors

To appreciate Ohakim’s relevance today, one need only compare his tenure to that of his successors. Rochas Okorocha, who rode to power on a wave of populism in 2011, exited under a cloud of criticism—characterized by unpaid salaries, abandoned projects, and the scrapping of structured initiatives like IROMA, which had created 10,000 direct jobs for graduates and helped retain billions of naira within the state through local and direct labor.

Ohakim’s methods were different. His economic interventions were strategic, not symbolic. His infrastructure projects were tied to growth and development—not media hype. His governance model emphasized continuity, not constant reinvention.

Why Ohakim, Why Now*?

Nigeria is at a crossroads. Economic instability, insecurity, infrastructural decay, and a deepening trust deficit plague the nation. Imo is not immune.

Ohakim has walked that path before—and uniquely commands the respect of those in the creeks and hinterlands. If anyone can bring the boys out of the bush, disarm them with dialogue, and reintegrate them into society, it is Ohakim.

This is no time for risky experiments. It is time for steady hands—leaders with institutional memory, practical experience, and proven records. Ohakim brings relationships with development partners, experience in federal coordination, and a humility sharpened by time and reflection.

His return isn’t about reliving the past. It’s about finishing what he started—this time with greater clarity and fewer political encumbrances.

Critics may ask, “Why return to the past?”
A better question is: “Why ignore experience—especially when it’s wiser?”

Ndi Imo are not looking for perfection. They are looking for progress. They want a governor who doesn’t need a year to learn how governance works. They want results from day one. That is what Ohakim promises—and has previously delivered.

Conclusion

In Imo politics, the name Ikedi Ohakim remains a lightning rod. Critics speak his name with caution—some fearing a dramatic comeback akin to that of Donald J. Trump in the United States: a return brimming with promise and unpredictability.

But for admirers and advocates, Ohakim’s name evokes hope, stability, and unfinished purpose. Many believe his mission was cut short—and that the journey to “Make Imo Great Again” must be completed.

As 2027 approaches, Imo must choose wisely—between slogans and substance, stunts and strategy. In Chief Ikedi Ohakim, the state has not just a former governor, but a more prepared one. A man who has evolved with the times while staying grounded in principle. A man who doesn’t need time to learn on the job—but only a mandate to finish the job.

Imo’s future may very well depend on its willingness to give experience another chance—not to revisit the past, but to realize its long-deferred promise. As the Imo Charter of Equity encourages fairness among zones, Ohakim’s candidacy from Okigwe Zone becomes not only necessary but just.