(As published in the Sunday New Telegraph newspaper of May 17, 2026)
By SHEDDY OZOENE
The decision by Hon. Chijioke Jonathan Edeoga to contest the Isi Uzo/Enugu East House of Representatives seat in the 2027 election has sparked intense debate within Enugu State and beyond. While some see it as a descent down the political ladder, others view it as a rare display of humility, resilience, and political realism.
For context, Edeoga was the Labour Party governorship candidate in Enugu State during the 2023 election. The party swept most National and State Assembly seats and Edeoga came remarkably close to capturing the ultimate prize, the governorship of Enugu State. His eventual loss is one that many of his supporters still struggle to accept.
But the political landscape has since changed dramatically. The Labour Party, once energised by the Peter Obi political wave in 2023, became weighed down by internal crises and leadership disputes as national divisions filtered into states, local governments, and wards. In Enugu, the decline became debilitating, with many officials elected on the party’s platform defecting to the ruling PDP while others drifted to the APC.
As the once-vibrant Labour Party structure gradually became deserted, Edeoga – the last man standing – was left almost alone, to sustain an impossible opposition battle. It was a question of time before he too voted with his feet. He joined Governor Peter Mbah in the PDP and was part of the decision to align the state with the APC which controls the federal government.
To many of his supporters, Edeoga’s return to the PDP was unsettling. Why abandon the platform that transformed him into the face of opposition politics in Enugu State? It is a fair question. But it also raises another: what realistic alternatives did he truly have at the time?
Edeoga faced two stark choices — remain in a party that had lost its organisational vitality or seek a new pathway to political relevance. In the fluid terrain of Nigerian politics, his decision was perhaps the more realistic one.
But there was also the moral question: did Edeoga’s departure amount to abandoning the platform that gave him the opportunity to challenge for power in 2023?
Many would say yes, and that argument is legitimate. But that is only one side of the story. In politics, ideological consistency matters, but so does political realism. The Labour Party on which Edeoga contested in 2023 is no longer the same party today. And since he was faced with growing isolation and shrinking options, political survival inevitably became a major consideration.
At one point, rumours circulated that the PDP was preparing the Enugu East Senatorial ticket for him ahead of 2027. Somehow, the Senate ticket never materialised, and he eventually settled for the House of Representatives. Some supporters believe he deserves something higher. They are entitled to that opinion, but it does not diminish the symbolism of his willingness to continue serving at the level he has chosen.
Anyone who has carefully followed Edeoga’s political journey will recognise that this is not necessarily a retreat. It may well be a strategic rebirth. Like the Phoenix — the mythical bird that rises renewed from its own ashes — Edeoga appears determined to begin again.
And he started on a flying note. Last Saturday at the APC primaries in the constituency, Edeoga secured a staggering 40,533 votes to defeat the incumbent lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Professor Paul Nnamchi, who garnered 248 votes.
Over centuries, the Phoenix has come to symbolise resilience and renewal, and that symbolism resonates deeply whenever people witness an extraordinary comeback after disappointment. In many ways, Edeoga’s political journey mirrors that cycle. After the fiercely contested 2023 governorship election, many people concluded that his moment had passed. Some prematurely wrote his political obituary. Others expected him to quietly fade into irrelevance, carrying the wounds of a near-victory that electrified the state but ultimately fell short.
But like the Phoenix, Edeoga has refused to remain in the ashes.
His decision to return to active political contention through the House of Representatives has generated mixed reactions, but there is no missing the courage and the resilience behind his re-emergence.
To critics, the Green Chamber appears too small for a politician who once stood at the threshold of the Lion Building, as the Enugu governor’s office is called. To many others, however, the move reflects something deeper than status. It signifies humility and patience. That distinction matters because politics in Nigeria has become excessively obsessed with hierarchy and prestige, rather than service. Edeoga’s decision challenges the notion that public service is diminished by a lower title.
Leadership in the National Assembly is anchored around experienced lawmakers who understand governance, legislation, and constituency development. Edeoga’s résumé is rich with administrative experience, from his days as Chairman of Isi Uzo Local Government to his service as an elected member of the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003, and later as Special Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan. He also served as Commissioner in Enugu State before the epochal governorship contest as the Labour Party candidate in 2023.
In all these positions, he built a reputation for competence and effective public service. That is why criticism surrounding his return to the House of Representatives has not gained the traction some expected. The move does not reflect desperation, but the determination of a man willing to shrug off the disappointment of one political battle that ended in defeat.
His opponents may mock his decision. Some may insist he should pursue only offices they consider befitting of his stature. But history often favours leaders who understand that service is greater than ego. And so, like the legendary Phoenix of ancient mythology, Chijioke Edeoga appears determined to transform what many considered an ending into a new beginning.
More than anyone else, his return should excite the people of Isi-Uzo and Enugu East Local Government Areas. What critics interpret as a “step down” may actually become a springboard to national prominence, especially if Edeoga — with his pedigree and vast experience — eventually emerges as one of the principal officers of the House.
Sheddy Ozoene, Editor-In-Chief of People&Politics, is Vice President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
