By Chiemela Emeka
For far too long, governance in Abia has been misconceived as a one-man show. A solitary enterprise where power resides in the Government House and the people are mere spectators.
This flawed model has not only stunted our development but has bred alienation, sycophancy and the dangerous notion that leadership is about a messiah rather than a collective.
It is within this context that the political philosophy of Chief Eric Opah, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, becomes both refreshing and revolutionary.
For Opah, governance is not a solo performance. It is a collective effort.
This is not a mere campaign slogan. It is a deeply held conviction that has shaped his engagement with Abians across party lines, communities and social strata. Where others see followers, Opah sees partners. Where others demand loyalty, he requests participation.
The essence of the Opah doctrine is simple yet profound: no government, however well-intentioned, can succeed without the active buy-in of the governed. Development cannot be decreed from Umuahia; it must be co-created with Ndi Abia.
Three pillars underscore this philosophy.
First is Inclusive Leadership. Opah believes that the farmer in Ohafia, the trader in Aba, the teacher in Umuahia and the youth in Ndiolumbe must have a seat at the table. Governance, to him, must deliberately mainstream women, youths, the business community, traditional institutions and the diaspora. The era of government of the few, for the few, must give way to government of the people, by the people, and with the people.
Second is Shared Accountability. When governance is collective, accountability becomes collective. Opah’s model challenges every Abian to move from lamentation to participation — to monitor budgets, protect public infrastructure, pay taxes, and hold leaders accountable. It is a social contract where government delivers transparency and the people deliver civic responsibility.
Third is Decentralised Development. Abia cannot develop if development is centralised in one city. The Opah blueprint envisions a system where local governments, town unions and community cooperatives are empowered as engines of growth. Let Ndiolumbe develop Ndiolumbe with government support. Let Aba develop Aba. That is how to unlock the latent productive capacity of our 17 local government areas.
Critics may ask: is this feasible in Abia’s fractious political environment? The answer lies in Opah’s own political trajectory. Even before clinching the APC ticket, his consultations have been cross-partisan, community-driven and devoid of the usual winner-takes-all bitterness. He listens more than he speaks. He builds bridges rather than walls. That is the very antithesis of the imperial governance Abians have endured.
Abia State does not need another emperor in Government House. Abia needs a coordinator, a galvaniser, a chief servant who understands that the best ideas for Abia’s recovery may not come from his manifesto, but from a market woman in Ariaria or a young tech innovator in Bende.
As we inch towards 2027, Abians have a clear choice: to perpetuate the old order where governance is personalised, or to embrace the Opah model where governance is collectivised, people-driven and result-oriented.
Eric Opah is not promising to do it all alone. He is promising to do it with us. And that, perhaps, is the most honest promise any Abia guber candidate has made in recent history.
Chiemela Emeka writes from Ndiolumbe in Isiala Ngwa South LGA.
Governance As Collective Responsibility: The Eric Opah Model For Abia’s Renewal
