A silent political cold war may be brewing in the Imo chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
On one side is Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba,a former Minister of State For Education, calm and calculated, playing the long game. On the other, Emeka Ihedioha, a former governor of the state, loud, aggressive, and desperate to stamp his authority in the party in the state.
This is as indications have emerged that Nwajiuba is now seen as the de facto leader of the party in Imo State.
He has maintained a calculated silence since the ADC coalition emerged as a viable third force nationally, and is believed to be one of the key architects behind the coalition’s formation. His behind-the-scenes role, sources say, has placed him at the center of unfolding political intrigues within the party in Imo.
The former minister joins a wave of ex-APC heavyweights, including former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, ex-Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and former Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, who all dumped the APC for the ADC after years in Muhammadu Buhari’s government. Their defection has re-positioned the ADC as a formidable platform ahead of 2027.
In Imo, the ADC’s growing profile is compounded by the entrance of former Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, who in 2024 quit the PDP citing irreconcilable differences.
Ihedioha, widely believed to still nurse a governorship ambition after his dramatic ouster by the Supreme Court in January 2020, has since directed his Rebuild Imo political structure to collapse into the ADC en masse.
But cracks appear to be forming as speculation mounts over Nwajiuba’s alleged backing of Chima Amadi, a billionaire philanthropist and founder of The Mazi Organization, for the ADC governorship ticket in 2027. However, there was no independent verification of this claim, as efforts by this newspaper to speak to the former Minister were futile.
Analysts, however, caution against reading too much into the rumours, pointing out that Amadi is yet to officially declare for any political party, let alone the ADC.
“Amadi’s political ambition is still speculation. He’s not even a card-carrying member of any party at the moment,” said Greg Ibe, an Imo born Abuja-based political strategist.
Still, multiple sources suggest to INNONEWS that Amadi’s rumoured entry into the ADC could trigger a fierce battle for the party’s soul in Imo, which may set him on a collision course with Ihedioha, whose political tentacles in the state remain formidable.
“This is the perfect recipe for an internal power struggle. You have Nwajiuba quietly pulling strings and Ihedioha with an established structure. If Amadi enters the fray, expect fireworks.”said Stanley Ekezie, a political analyst.
The stakes are particularly high because of ADC’s rising influence in Imo. Once regarded as a fringe party, it now sits as a serious alternative to the APC and PDP.
While Ihedioha’s allies insist they are working harmoniously with existing ADC stakeholders, including state executive members, there is an undercurrent of suspicion over who ultimately controls the party machinery.
Efforts to get official comments from ADC’s state leadership proved futile as calls and messages to key officials went unanswered as at press time.
