Akarachi Amadi:  Being in Politics Comes With Daily Challenges

For Hon. Akarachi Etinosa Amadi, representing Mbaitoli/Ikeduru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, politics is not a game of power but a platform for impact. He acknowledges that while Nigeria’s challenges are real, they are far from insurmountable, provided leadership is deliberate, focused, and people-centred. Fresh from a mega empowerment programme where he distributed 500KVA transformers, vehicles, and farm tools, Amadi underscores his commitment to grassroots development, community engagement, and practical solutions that translate policy into measurable improvements. Sunday Ehigiator brings the excerpts:

Who is Akarachi outside politics, and what would you say has been your toughest moment since joining active politics?

Outside politics, I am simply a young man who wants to help and make a difference. I am a family man who believes everyone has a role to play and I try to lead by example, contributing in any way I can to support my community. Being in politics comes with daily challenges, and my toughest moments are those reminders that we are not yet where we want to be. I am results-driven, and each day highlights the work that still lies ahead, requiring courage and determination to keep moving forward. There isn’t a single defining moment that shapes this struggle; it is the ongoing process of facing challenges and finding ways to overcome them. Each day offers an opportunity to reflect on progress, learn from setbacks, and refine approaches to better serve the people. Ultimately, my focus is on perseverance and pushing further until we achieve the goals we aspire to. The journey may be demanding, but it is also a chance to grow, make tangible impacts, and leave a meaningful legacy for the community.

 Do you see politics as a calling or a career?

I see politics simply as a means to serve and contribute to the security, safety, and productivity of our country. Whether under a monarchy or a democracy, the goal remains the same: to make a meaningful impact. In our democratic system, politics is the tool to bring the change we desire, and I have a calling to serve my people in any capacity, both during and beyond holding office. Even before running for elections, I have been active in serving my community, and I will continue to lend my voice, hands, and resources toward the betterment of society. Politics is not limited to public office; it is part of everyday life. Every woman raising children and every man influencing friends or the community is engaging in politics by shaping the world around them. We are all part of a political system, whether or not we formally align with a party. What matters most is allegiance to our country and our people. By working together across divides, we can create the society we envision. Politics should not be seen as alien; it is a shared responsibility to collaborate for the common good. Nigeria is blessed with immense resources, talent, and potential. Our challenge is to unite, cultivate these resources, and steadily build the country we aspire to. Even if the full vision takes years to achieve, consistent effort will ensure that future generations inherit a nation they can be proud of, especially as we address regional challenges like those in the South-East.

Godfatherism is often cited as a major challenge in Imo State politics. Do you see yourself affected by this dynamic?

I do not believe we are in a situation of Godfatherism. Historically, the South-East has been very democratic, and our focus has always been on the bigger picture, ensuring security, creating an enabling environment, and fostering integration both within Nigeria and globally. While mentorship plays an important role, it is not the same as Godfatherism. I have learnt from and have been guided by people who came before me, and I respect the lessons they imparted. Their guidance shapes how I work and serve my community every day. The South-East is on the rise, and we are poised to achieve significant progress as a geopolitical zone. By building on the foundations laid by previous leaders and focusing on our collective potential, we can continue to be a critical pillar in Nigeria’s development.

Given the criticisms and protests faced by the APC at the federal level, do you think these challenges could impact your chances if you decide to run for re-election in 2027?

Criticism is a normal part of any democratic process, and it provides an opportunity to learn and improve. As an engineer, I see every system as having an efficiency factor; no system is perfect. Criticism helps identify gaps so we can adjust and move forward. We acknowledge the challenges and are actively learning from them. These issues will not affect my chances or those of anyone running under the APC, because every party, from PDP to others in power, has faced similar hurdles. What matters is how we navigate these challenges and stay focused on progress. Politics is always intertwined with party dynamics, but our priority remains delivering results and creating opportunities. By facing problems head-on, negotiating obstacles, and keeping the path toward development clear, we continue to work for the benefit of our constituents and the nation.

 Being young doesn’t always mean different. How is your leadership different, and how do you balance party loyalty with constituents’ needs?

You’ve given me what I call a complex equation to solve. I’m going to dissect it. The party manifesto, the APC manifesto, is the people’s manifesto. If you are true to the service of the people, you are true to the service of the manifesto. For me, what we’ve tried to do is always do people-oriented projects, people-oriented politics, and people-oriented policies, because at the end of the day, we are nothing without the people. Being young or being old does not matter. When I won my election, people focused on my age, but for me, it was about inspiring the youth that you can do this. Being a Reps member has nothing to do with age; it has everything to do with capacity and the will to serve. There is no vacuum in any system. If we do not occupy the space, someone else will. I must thank those who have supported youth inclusion, my governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, and others. My loyalty to the party aligns with my loyalty to the people because the party supports people-oriented policies. We must also begin to ask questions at the local government level because funds now go directly to them. Citizens must ask what is being done with those funds.

 You recently launched a Mega-Empowerment programme, distributing over 63 sets of 500KVA transformers and other resources to your constituents. How do you plan to ensure these initiatives are sustainable and continue to benefit the community in the long term?

It’s a problem we have. I’ve always said that Nigeria’s problem is not just leaders; the leaders are from the people, and the people themselves. We have looked at what to do, and we have seen that the problem with most empowerment is that they are done at a central location. So most times, these items do not even get back to the communities. What we decided to do was the launch of the empowerment programme for 63 communities. I was talking with some of my advisors, and they said the number 63 is quite odd. Why didn’t you round up the number? And I said it is because I have 63 communities in the federal constituency.  So went to each of these communities, met with the traditional rulers, the religious rulers, and leaders of the communities, and took the empowerment materials to them. They nominated candidates that they believed were deserving of those things. The transformers that are going to boost electricity supply; the location will be picked by the communities. The tractors will be used by farming communities in a rotational system. The farm tricycles will empower farmers who previously relied on crude methods to move produce. Now they can transport tonnes of produce to the markets.

The principle is taking development from the centre directly to the communities and ensuring that the ripple effect spreads across wards, local governments, and the entire constituency.

You were recently recognised as Legislator of the Year. Beyond the long list of bills to your credit, which of these do you believe will most fundamentally change the daily lives of the people you represent?

It was indeed a pleasure to have been recognised by Champions Newspaper as the Legislator of the Year. I do not think any of those bills are less than anyone, because people don’t realise that to make a change, every step counts. For instance, we are talking about Nigeria as a young country that is 70 percent youth demographic. Again, you must empower the youth, and the best way to do that is through education. You cannot have a case where the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has an exam that is written yearly, but again, we do not have enough schools to take this population that comes out of the secondary schools. And people write them, and they have to write them again the next year. So one of the things that we also want to do for the youth population is to ensure that the validity of the JAMB exams goes beyond one year. Have people write that exam once and know that they can use the result to get into school two or three years later. So it might seem like a small bill, but again, it’s something that’s going to reshape not just the lives of those youths but the lives of Nigeria as a whole. That committee is meant to serve Nigeria as a whole. It is meant to boost our food security. It is meant to ensure that we have the sustainability of life in the marine ecosystem. It is meant to ensure that the balance between trade, commerce, industry, and the natural habitat of Nigeria, there is a balance.

The biggest route for trade is the marine system, the oceans, and the inland, and we have to liaise with the relevant agencies, do our oversight functions, and get stakeholder engagement. Because one of the things that we fail to do is we need to get and give up to the stakeholders, use that to formulate policies. We just went on a retreat where we had NIMASA, we had the Navy, and we had all the relevant agencies come to formulate policies. That is because sometimes certain policies that favour one agency might not favour the other. So we find the middle ground that would not only create employment for Nigerian youth, but also create the relevant industries that would be supported.

Certain policies, while you are trying to bring in foreign direct investments might also affect the local market and might also affect the competitiveness of our Nigerian small and medium-scale enterprises. So you are going to look for a balance between growing your local farmers, growing SMEs, and also bringing in the much-needed foreign exchange and foreign direct investments into the system so that it is going to be a win-win, where our people, their businesses are growing, the Nigerian economy is growing, and the foreign investors are coming with the much-needed technology transfer to boost our practices across the marine and blue economy sector.

Is the empowerment programme limited to APC members?

I do not represent just APC members. I represent the entire federal constituency: children, the elderly, the clergy, and everyone in between. Hunger and poverty do not recognise party lines, and our responsibility is to serve all Nigerians. These empowerment programs have been designed to reach every community, irrespective of political affiliation, while also acknowledging that the party provided the platform to contest elections. Winning the mandate from the people of Mbaitoli/Ikeduru federal constituency means carrying everyone on board. Our focus is not on statistics or party politics, but on delivering tangible results through well-planned, step-by-step approaches. Like building roads, which takes time, national and local challenges require phased solutions to ensure continuity and stability in policies and programs. We have already made significant progress across several sectors. Over 3,000 people are being registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme to access free healthcare.

We are building five primary healthcare facilities and equipping them, constructing 23 classroom blocks, providing educational materials, and establishing smart schools that combine primary, secondary, and skills acquisition programs to prepare students not just for employment but to create jobs. Security and grassroots development are also priorities. We are deploying equipment to community vigilantes and police divisions to address local insecurity. The overarching goal is to empower communities, support economic growth, and foster a sustainable development model that benefits all residents of the constituency. Change takes time, like planting crops or palm trees; results are not immediate. But with faith, patience, and collective effort, we are confident that the work we are doing today will leave a better Nigeria for our children and future generations. I encourage everyone to be the change within their families and communities because building the nation of our dreams is a shared responsibility.

With your free JAMB and scholarship programs, what long-term impact do you expect and can this model work nationally, given Nigeria’s rising education costs?

Education is the foundation for every sustainable society. In our constituency, we have leveraged existing federal and state schools that provide free primary and secondary education, while stepping in to fill gaps in opportunities beyond school. One key area we addressed is the challenge of youth employment. We have made jobs accessible to every member of the federal constituency with at least five credits in their exams, and so far, over 3,000 students have benefited. To further motivate them, we introduced a scholarship scheme that allows anyone scoring above 200 in the job program to gain admission into any state or federal university of their choice. Our support extends beyond Iwo; students are now studying in places like Nassau and Abia.

For many, this boost is the encouragement needed to work harder, knowing that financial constraints will not block their education. Currently, over 100 beneficiaries are receiving full support for tuition, acceptance fees, and textbooks in tertiary institutions, offering them a real pathway to success. Recognising that Nigeria’s economy largely depends on the informal sector, we have also focused on artisans, creatives, and entertainers. 50 per cent of our empowerment initiatives are directed toward these groups, helping them enhance their skills and create opportunities that contribute to the economy. By targeting small and medium enterprises, we aim to build a ripple effect: trained beneficiaries pass on knowledge to others, fostering skill development, innovation, and productivity. This approach ensures a sustainable economy where empowerment and knowledge transfer create lasting impact for generations to come.