Imo: A Speaker’s Last “Buga Dance”

By Charles Igbo

On Tuesday, September 13, Kennedy Ibeh, until Monday, September 19, the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly was at his excited best.

President Muhammadu Buhari had visited Imo State on a one-day working visit during which he commissioned three flagship projects.

One of the projects was the completely refurbished Imo House of Assembly edifice. Until the refurbishment by the State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, it was an eye-sore, a pig sty, almost, with leaking roofs and worse.

The commissioning was, therefore, a big deal. The Speaker, Ibeh, was excited. He was happy, so happy that when Mr President departed for Abuja, he and some of his colleagues, including the Deputy Speaker, Amara Chyna- Iwuanyanwu, a cat with nine lives,  converged in his office, and wined boogied-down, and made merry. They danced to the hugely popular Kizz Daniel’s “Buga.”

And, why not? Ibeh has moved into a new office fit for his office – a Speaker’s office. Spacious. Beautifully furnished. Relaxing. Inviting.

But on Monday, the 19th, lbeh’s world came crashing, literally. He resigned as the Speaker of the House.

Given the benefit of hindsight, that Buga dance was a send-off for him. It was his last Buga as the Honourable Speaker of the House. Perhaps, a couple of those who “Bugad” with him knew that his days were numbered. Perhaps, he himself knew that the notorious banana peel on the floor of the Imo House of Assembly was right under his feet, already.

Imo State House of Assembly has set a very notorious record of an Assembly where its Speakers are changed like one changes one’s underwear. It is like turn by turn, comparable only to the office of the Senate President when it was zoned to the South-east during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

Every State in the South-east, embarrassingly had a taste of the office. Evans Enwerem. Adolphus Wabara. Chuba Okadigbo. Pius Anyim. Ken Nnamani.

The Imo State House of Assembly in on its fourth Speaker since 2020, the year Uzodinma became the Governor.

The Speaker of the House then was Chidi Collins. Just when the Uzodinma Government had stabilized and most members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Assembly, including Collins, dumped it for the All Progressives Congress, APC, Collins was given the boot by his colleagues. He was quickly replaced by Paul Emeziem. He too was soon to be given the boot after an unsuccessful attempt to impeach his Deputy, Iwuanyanwu.

A powerful Speaker, or so Emeziem thought he was, he suspended, in one fell swoop, six members of the Assembly, including Ibeh. His waterloo was in, according to reports, attempting to impeach Iwuanyanwu, a man after the Governor’s heart.

So, Emeziem was quickly impeached after Iwuanyanwu survived, and the suspension of the six members was lifted.

That was when Ibeh created his own record.

Straight from suspension, Ibeh became the Speaker. It was seen to be in fulfillment of a prophecy by one Pastor/Prophet that Ibeh would, one day, become the Speaker. It is not, now,  known if he also told Ibeh that he would lose the high profile office when he least expected.

Nobody knows exactly what happened. Why Ibeh resigned. While some people say he was forced to resign, a release signed by his Media Aide debunked it. In the release titled: Rt. Hon. Barr. Kennedy Chidozie   Ibeh Resigns As Speaker Imo House of Assembly,  the Aide, Ifeanyi Onyekachi wrote: “It is with due sense of responsibility that we announce the resignation of Rt. Hon. Barr. Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh, as the Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly.

“Within his short period as the Speaker, IMHA, Rt. Hon. Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh, redefined Legislative process, restored the dignity of the legislature and placed the Imo State House of Assembly, on a high pedestal.

“He, therefore, wishes to reiterate his commitment to the 3-R Government of His Excellency, Gov. Hope Uzodinma, and to pledge his loyalty and support to the Governor, the good people of Obowo State Constituency and Imo State.

“Thank you and God bless you all.”

Many people, not conversant with the  intrigues, the dog eat dog attitude, the back- stabbings associated with politics, were shocked at Ibeh’s resignation. He was very loyal to the Governor and was seen as doing his biddings. He spoke the language of the Governor, and was always full of praises for him. Under Ibeh two members of the Assembly were suspended indefinitely.

Could his trouble have come  from his colleagues? A few weeks ago, the story was rife that his colleagues were up in arms to impeach him because he allegedly spoke arrogantly to them. That was doused.

So, what happened?

One speculation has it that he was not influential in the politics of his area. The allegation is that a female Commissioner from his area and one House of Representatives member are in charge and have the ears of the Governor when it came to appointments. He never had any hand in any appointments, not even a Councillor, it is alleged. He, therefore, resigned out of frustration, it was further alleged. Another speculation said that he has   been used and dumped. It did not explain how.

Ibeh’s replacement is also a Lawyer – Anthony Emeka Nduka. Until his elevation,he was the Deputy Majority Leader in the House. He hails from Umuezeala, Umuoma, Nzerem, Ehime Mbano. He represents the Ehime Mbano State Constituency in the Imo House of Assembly.

Nduka was on the same day he was elected, received by Governor Uzodinma at the Government House. He is the fourth Speaker of the Assembly the Governor would receive since his administration. Will the banana peel arrive soon, making way for the fifth Speaker? Time will tell.