By Our Correspondent
A media professional and consultant, Chief Eze Adiuku, has thrown his weight behind the return of Hon. Emeka Chinedu to the Federal House of Representatives, arguing that the National Assembly rewards experience and seniority far more than it does zoning arrangements or fresh faces.
Speaking with newsmen recently in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Chief Adiuku said the workings of any legislative chamber, whether at the state or federal level, hinge largely on how long a lawmaker has served and the relationships built with colleagues over time.
“Why do you think legislative assemblies, including the National Assembly, place such a premium on ranking members?” he asked. “You cannot easily become a presiding officer such as the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives if you are not a ranking member. Neither can you readily emerge as a Principal Officer such as the Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip, Minority Whip or Deputy Minority Whip without the requisite legislative experience and ranking.”
According to him, this reality is what makes calls for zoning the seat away from an experienced incumbent difficult to sustain. He noted that while a newcomer might occasionally emerge as a principal officer in a state house of assembly, such an outcome is almost unheard of at the National Assembly.
“That is why the argument about zoning of legislative seat looks unrealistic,” he said. “Forget what happens sometimes in the Imo State House of Assembly, where a new member may emerge a principal officer. At the National Assembly, it is almost impossible.”
Chief Adiuku said it was on this basis that he was backing Hon. Chinedu’s bid to return to the Green Chamber, describing a return trip as one that would position him favourably for a leadership role.
“This is why I support Hon. Emeka Chinedu to go back to the Federal House of Representatives. It will surely give him an advantage for a plum position,” he said.
He added that Hon. Chinedu’s record of performance over the years has also shown signs of someone who could become an even greater asset to the constituency, the state and the National Assembly if given the opportunity to attain higher responsibilities.
According to him, the combination of legislative experience, and demonstrated performance, if mixed with more established relationships places Chinedu in a position where greater responsibility could translate into greater value for the people he represents and the wider political community.
He pointed to the trajectory of Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as proof of what sustained tenure can yield, noting that Ihedioha’s standing in national politics today was built on his repeated returns to the House, culminating in his emergence as Deputy Speaker on his third term.
“Today, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is a household name in politics because of his exploits at the House of Representatives. That was made possible when he went back for the third time and emerged the Deputy Speaker,” he said.
The consultant warned that keeping Hon. Chinedu off the ballot for the Ahiazu Mbaise/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency seat in 2027 would amount to a disservice to both the constituency and the state at large.
“It would have been a big disservice to the state and Ahiazu Mbaise/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency if Hon. Emeka Chinedu is not in the ballot for the 2027 general election,” he said.
He therefore urged political actors and power brokers in the state to be strategic in how they approach legislative representation, stressing that continuity, rather than rotation for its own sake, is what delivers dividends to constituents.
“So our political actors and power brokers should understand this and always be strategic in supporting experienced legislators,” he added.
