ChukwuEmeka Nkemakolam Ihedioha was born on 24th March, 1965 in Mbutu, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. He is a Nigerian businessman, politician and former governor of Imo state. He was removed as the Governor of Imo State by the Supreme Court.

He was a member of the House of Representatives where he represented Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency. He was a former Deputy Speaker House of Representative. He later became the Speaker after the then Speaker Aminu Tambuwal defected to All Progressive Congress (APC).

Educational Background

Emeka Ihedioha attended Town School Mbutu before proceeding to SDA Primary School Abule Oja, Yaba where he obtained his first school leaving in 1976. He obtained his Senior Secondary School Leaving Certificate at St. Ephraim’s Secondary School, Owerrinta in present-day Abia State.

Ihedioha obtained a degree in Food Science and Technology from University of Lagos, Yaba in 1988. Ihedioha took an executive certificate course in financial management from Stanford University, and a leadership certificate course from Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Career

Emeka Ihedioha was appointed the Press officer to the then Senate President Chief Iyorchia Ayu in 1992. He was later appointed the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Senate President.

In 1993, Ihedioha returned to his communications practice as Chief Executive Officer of First Page Communications after the 1993 Military coup.

In 1998, Ihedioha became the Director of Publicity to the new People’s Democratic Movement which later became Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In 2001, Ihedioha was appointed special assistant on political matters to the Vice President after serving as special assistant to the Presidential Adviser on Utilities and special assistant of media and publicity to the President of the Senate between 1999 and 2001.

In 2003, Ihedioha contested to represent Aboh-Mbasie–Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency of Imo State in the Federal House of Representative under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He won the 2003 gubernatorial election. While in the house, he served as Chair, House committee on Marine Transport. Ihedioha is credited with passing key bills that allowed for increased participation of Nigerians in that sector.

In 2007, Ihedioha was re elected into the same position for a second term. While in the House of Representative, Ihedioha served as the Chief Whip from 2007 to 2011.

In 2011, Ihedioha was re elected for a third term in office. During his third term, Ihedioha emerged as the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representative. He later emerged as the Speaker after the then Speaker Aminu Tambuwal defe to the All Progressive Congress(APC) and stepped down as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In 2019, Ihedioha contested for the office of the Governor of Imo State under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He won the 2019 election. In May 2019, Ihedioha was sworn in as governor. However, in January 2020, his journey as governor of Imo State was cut short after the Supreme Court declared Hope Uzodimma of the the All Progressive Congress (APC) winner of the 2019 gubernatorial election.

Ihedioha Supreme Court Judgement

On 14 January, 2020 the Supreme Court nullifiedthe election of Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as governor of Imo state and declared Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressive Congress (APC) winner of the 2019 gubernatorial election.

In the unanimous judgment of the seven-member panel, read by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the apex court agreed that results in 388 polling units were unlawfully excluded during the collation of the final governorship election result in Imo State.

According to the panel, if you sum up the resultsfrom the 388 polling units, Uzodimma won majority of the votes and thus is the winner of the 2019 gubernatorial election in Imo State.

The Supreme Court ordered The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue certificate of return to Hope Uzodimma while Emeka Ihedioha vacate office immediately.

“Vote due to the appellant Senator Hope Uzodinma and the APC from 388 Polling Units were wrongly excluded from scores ascribed to the appellant(to them),” the justices ruled.

“It is thereby ordered that the appellant votes from 388 Polling Units unlawfully excluded from the appellant vote declared shall be added and that the first respondent, Emeka Ihedioha, was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the said election.”

“His return as the elected governor of Imo State is hereby declared null and void and accordingly set aside

“It is hereby declared that the first appellant (Mr Uzodinma) holds the majority of lawful votes cast at the governorship election held in Imo State on March 9, 2019.”

The justice said Mr Uzodinma has satisfied the mandatory constitutional requirements to be declared governor.

Businesses

Ihedioha runs real estate development business, with interests in industrialized farming, hospitality and petroleum sectors.

Personal Life

Emeka Ihedioha is married to Ebere Ihedioha and together they have four children Emeka, Ezinwa, Nkem and Kamsi