THE MAN, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha

Political Experience/Public Service Record:

Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has lived a life of service, beginning with his appointment as Press Officer to the then President of the Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu in 1992.

This appointment was in recognition of his capacity as a publicist of immense abilities and a media person of known effectiveness. Within three months of this appointment, he was elevated to the position of Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Albert Legogie (late).

When the military cut short Nigeria’s democratic experience and experiment in November 1993, Ihedioha returned to his public communications practice as Chief Executive Officer of First Page Communications.

In 1995 when the whistle was blown for transition to civil rule under the aborted Third Republic, he readily found his sails in the familiar waters of politics and was appointed Director of Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).

Rt. Hon. Ihedioha made the right moves, maintained the right contacts and retained relevance in an environment where even the biggest of ocean-going sharks and fish are known to drown quite easily.

In 1999, Ihedioha was appointed into key positions in the budding democratic dispensation. First, he was appointed Special Assistant to the Presidential Adviser on Utilities (July 1999); Special Assistant onMedia and Publicity to the President of Senate (November 1999); and eventually Special Assistant on Political Matters to the Vice President (September 2001). It was from this last assignment in the Office of Vice President Atiku Abubakar that he contested election and won a seat into the Houseof Representativesas Member representing Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency of Imo State in 2003 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He is currently serving his third consecutive term in the House of Representatives as Deputy Speaker.

Legislative Accomplishments:

Since his first term, Rt. Hon. Ihedioha has been prominently positioned in the House of Representatives. He was Chairman of the ranking House Committee on Marine Transport between 2003 and 2007, where he brilliantly coordinated legislative oversight functions over Nigeria’s maritime sector.

The passage of two key legislations which reformed the maritime industry to allow for increased participation of Nigerians in that sector of the economy is credited to the sterling, committed and determined efforts of Hon. Ihedioha.

The legislations in question are: the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Act, 2007 and the Merchant Shipping Act, 2005.He led the way in ensuring that Nigeria complies with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Conventions and that these conventions became part of our Municipal Laws, through their domestications.

These laws include: The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004;

The United Nations Convention on Carriage of Goods by Sea (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, 2005;

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (Ratification and Enforcement)Act 2005;

The International Convention on the Civil Liabilities for Oil Pollution Damage (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, 2006; and International Convention on the Establishment of an international Fund for the Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage 1979 as amended (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, 2006.

It is noteworthy that Hon. Ihedioha’s pivotal and timely role perfected the legislation for the domestication of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, which ensured that Nigeria complied with global shipping standards. Within the period, he also personally sponsored and facilitated the passage into law of the bill that established the Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding (CRFFN) in Nigeria.

This is one of the few legislations sponsored by a legislator that received Presidential assent. This has brought orderin the sector and given pride of place to our local operators.

By spearheading the passage into law of these critical bills governing the operations of the maritime sector in Nigeria, Ihedioha achieved a legislative feat that has remained unrivalled and unprecedented in the parliamentary history of Nigeria. That is why he has remained a toast of the maritime community in Nigeria. We note, for the record, that the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in 2010 awarded him the Most Outstanding Maritime Legislator.

But beside these tangible legislative accomplishments in the Marine Transport Committee, he has served on various Committees of the House and in other different capacities contributing his best to the growth and development of the legislature in particular and nation building in general.

RolandAkachukwu:
[s]THE MAN, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha

Political Experience/Public Service Record:

Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has lived a life of service, beginning with his appointment as Press Officer to the then President of the Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu in 1992.

This appointment was in recognition of his capacity as a publicist of immense abilities and a media person of known effectiveness. Within three months of this appointment, he was elevated to the position of Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Albert Legogie (late).

When the military cut short Nigeria’s democratic experience and experiment in November 1993, Ihedioha returned to his public communications practice as Chief Executive Officer of First Page Communications.

In 1995 when the whistle was blown for transition to civil rule under the aborted Third Republic, he readily found his sails in the familiar waters of politics and was appointed Director of Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).

Rt. Hon. Ihedioha made the right moves, maintained the right contacts and retained relevance in an environment where even the biggest of ocean-going sharks and fish are known to drown quite easily.

In 1999, Ihedioha was appointed into key positions in the budding democratic dispensation. First, he was appointed Special Assistant to the Presidential Adviser on Utilities (July 1999); Special Assistant onMedia and Publicity to the President of Senate (November 1999); and eventually Special Assistant on Political Matters to the Vice President (September 2001). It was from this last assignment in the Office of Vice President Atiku Abubakar that he contested election and won a seat into the Houseof Representativesas Member representing Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency of Imo State in 2003 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He is currently serving his third consecutive term in the House of Representatives as Deputy Speaker.

Legislative Accomplishments:

Since his first term, Rt. Hon. Ihedioha has been prominently positioned in the House of Representatives. He was Chairman of the ranking House Committee on Marine Transport between 2003 and 2007, where he brilliantly coordinated legislative oversight functions over Nigeria’s maritime sector.

The passage of two key legislations which reformed the maritime industry to allow for increased participation of Nigerians in that sector of the economy is credited to the sterling, committed and determined efforts of Hon. Ihedioha.

The legislations in question are: the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Act, 2007 and the Merchant Shipping Act, 2005.He led the way in ensuring that Nigeria complies with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Conventions and that these conventions became part of our Municipal Laws, through their domestications.

These laws include: The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004;

The United Nations Convention on Carriage of Goods by Sea (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, 2005;

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (Ratification and Enforcement)Act 2005;

The International Convention on the Civil Liabilities for Oil Pollution Damage (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, 2006; and International Convention on the Establishment of an international Fund for the Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage 1979 as amended (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, 2006.

It is noteworthy that Hon. Ihedioha’s pivotal and timely role perfected the legislation for the domestication of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, which ensured that Nigeria complied with global shipping standards. Within the period, he also personally sponsored and facilitated the passage into law of the bill that established the Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding (CRFFN) in Nigeria.

This is one of the few legislations sponsored by a legislator that received Presidential assent. This has brought orderin the sector and given pride of place to our local operators.

By spearheading the passage into law of these critical bills governing the operations of the maritime sector in Nigeria, Ihedioha achieved a legislative feat that has remained unrivalled and unprecedented in the parliamentary history of Nigeria. That is why he has remained a toast of the maritime community in Nigeria. We note, for the record, that the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in 2010 awarded him the Most Outstanding Maritime Legislator.

But beside these tangible legislative accomplishments in the Marine Transport Committee, he has served on various Committees of the House and in other different capacities contributing his best to the growth and development of the legislature in particular and nation building in general[/s].

Senator Samuel Anyanwu we Know

Nonsense!
Ask him why the Owerri -Mbaise -Seven and half road is still in its sorry state after all the hobnobbing in Abuja.

Ihedioha! The worst criminal on earth. I have worked with him and know what he does. Imo people should be very careful with this criminal

Oh my! Absolute bull crap!!!!