By Gideon Njoku
Ahead of his 79th birthday which falls on September 4, 2021, Elder Statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has quit partisan politics.
He made the disclosure at a Press Conference to mark his upcoming 79th birthday.
Many had expected him to quit partisan politics in 2022 when he will be 80 years old. But, according to him, the main event of his 80th will be the presentation of his authorized biography.
In quitting partisan politics, while recounting his achievements in life which spans Politics, Aviation, Engineering, Sports, Publishing and more, Iwuanyanwu said:
“AT 79, I wish to, therefore, officially announce my exit from partisan politics to pave way for the younger generation of leaders I have been able to groom and mentor who will now carry on with my legacies and political philosophy.”
For decades, Chief Iwuanyanwu, a University of Nigeria, UNN, trained Civil Engineer, bestrode, like a colossus, when it came to South-east politics, especially, Imo State’s.
But he was, also, not a push-over in National Politics.
On three occasions, he unsuccessfully ran for the Presidential office. He blames providence for his unsuccessful runs. But in his South-east Zone, especially, Imo, almost all the elected Governors sought his blessings and active support for their elections and successes in office. They patronized him too.
He had his most successful political outing under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which Board of Trustees Member, he remains, but for his decision to quit partisan politics as from September 4, 2021. During the Goodluck Jonathan Government, he was the Chancellor of the University of Calabar. Not a few people chide him for not pushing any of his biological children into any office either in Imo State or nationally.
However, his influence in the Imo State PDP whittled down, considerably, since after the Supreme Court judgment which removed the Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, PDP, as the Governor in January 2020, and enthroned the incumbent, Senator Hope Uzodinma, APC, as the Governor.
Having been one of those at the centre of Ihedioha’s election in 2019, as he usually claims, and having been quite close to him, the Imo PDP was outraged that he could have anything to do with the Uzodinma Government, especially, given the circumstances which saw Ihedioha out of office. Members castigated Iwuanyanwu each time he attended any function of the Uzodinma Government, especially, as he obviously, given his status, would occupy the “high table.”
The Imo PDP hated to see him attend any Imo Stakeholders’ meeting which it usually, erroneously, classified as an APC event.
When insecurity was at its peak in the State, and the Governor began a consultation with Stakeholders -Local Government by Local Government – to find a solution, the Imo PDP barred its members from attending the meetings, and was stung when Iwuanyanwu led the delegation from his Ikeduru LGA, as did a couple of other PDP leaders who saw the security situation in the state as beyond partisan politics of APC and PDP.
In a number of ways, including scathing write-ups, members of the Imo PDP, especially, its Youth wing, sought for his suspension from the party over his alleged romance with the Uzodinma Government.
While the suspension could not be actualized, they succeeded in removing him as the Chairman of the Imo PDP Elders Forum, replacing him with Chief Ambrose Ejiogu, whose son, Philip Ejiogu, is a member of the Imo State House of Assembly, Owerri North, but currently on suspension for inexplicable reasons.
Chief Iwuanyanwu’s exit from partisan politics will, therefore, be good music in the ears of those in the Imo PDP who had for months, canvassed for his suspension from the party. But it will, finally, give him the room to play a befitting role as an Elder Statesman, and an unbiased Stakeholder in Nigeria, the South-east and, Imo State.
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu realizes that. In exiting, he said: “I will, however, continue to serve my people as an Elder Statesman, and in my capacity as the Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Council of Elders.”
