It is not for nothing that Hon. Ben Nnebedum Nwankwo, “Ishingidi Akpụ”, earned the title “Ochi na nwata” at a very young age. His contemporaries had at various times testified that Ben started demonstrating leadership dexterities even while in school.
No wonder a few years after his graduation, the first executive governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife picked him as his personal aide.
Born on 27 September, 1965, Ben is a public administrator per excellence. He had his Primary Education at Community School, Akpu from 1972 – 1977. He proceeded to St Michael College, Nimo in 1977 and obtained his SSCE in 1982. He got admitted into Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State where he acquired his OND and HND in 1985 and 1988 respectively in Mass Communication. He got his Post Graduate Diploma from the the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2004 . He holds Masters and doctorate degrees in Public Administration and Local Government from the same University.
A former three-time Member of the Nigerian House of Representatives, Ben is presently the chairman of the African Institute of Public Administration (AIPA) headquartered in Accra, Ghana. He is also the founder of Leading Edge Group and Dean, London Bridge Business School, United Kingdom.
Eyeing the National Chairman of APGA at a time like this is one job most appropriate for Ben Nwankwo to further project his administrative skills and ingenuity. For over twenty years, APGA has stood strong as one of Nigeria’s dominant political parties, acting as a formidable third force in the democratic political space of the country.
With the great work and vision of Professor Chukwuma Soludo in Anambra State, he needs a national chairman of his party that will be around him as a brother and a friend. APGA needs be to rancour-free in all respects for Governor Soludo to optimally realize his objectives.
From the testimonies of the outgoing national chairman of the party, Dr Victor Oye, he fought no fewer than 215 legal battles for 8 years to keep the party as one. Definitely, that situation is not what the party needs now.
There are already about four persons running for the national chairmanship of the party. They include: Honourable Ben Nwankwo, Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa, Chief Norbert Obi and Barrister Tony Ifeanya. All these candidates are good and great achievers in their own right. But only one person will be in that position at a time.
Some APGA members have insisted that the party needs a pragmatic, dynamic leader who has a twenty-first century mentality to be able to drive the party in a digital era. For a state which has successively produced three governors of the state in three consecutive times, APGA will need an eagle to lead it in this top flight. Ben Nwankwo as a Public Administration and Leadership Development scholar with vast experience in the field of governance, performance and Human Resource Management appears to be the person the cap fits.
He has variously been commissioner in Anambra State, manning very sensitive offices. He was, while in the National Assembly, elected the Vice President of the All Africa Legislative Summit. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Administration and Local Government, a fellow of the International Institute of Chartered Management Consultants. He is an expert consultant in leadership, innovation and change management.
Explaining why he wants to be the National Chairman of APGA, Dr Nwankwo said that as a chairman who will be committed to the success of APGA, he will fly with a pro-growth Agenda with the strategy to Regrow, Rebrand, and Ascend. He says, together, under his leadership, APGA can build a stronger, more inclusive, and merit-based party that empowers all members to achieve their personal and collective aspirations.
Truly, the eagle has landed!
Written by TONY OKAFOR
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