FESTUS ODIMEGWU GOT BACK HIS GROOVE?
The story of Festus Odimegwu, a former Managing Director of Nigeria Breweries Plc and past chairman of the National Population Commission, NPC, would made a good movie if well scripted.
The billionaire has a unique way of‘reinventing’ himself. Many were shocked during the buildup to the 2015 presidential elections when he came out ‘smoking hot’ with some controversial articles and even utterances endorsing the then APC presidential candidate, Muhammed Buhari. The open display of love for Buhari had been received with mixed feelings. But the reason is not far-fetched.
Before going into politics, he was a boardroom guru. In his heyday as the boss, Nigerian Breweries, he had the ears of former President Olusegun Obasanjo so much that he allegedly lent his weight, in his own capacity, to his third-term agenda.
But as soon as Obasanjo’s third-term agenda hit a brick wall, he was reportedly technically pushed down from his exalted seat, as his employers felt he was no longer representing its corporate image well. That was when he was sent to Harvard for a course.
Upon his exit, he was temporarily in limbo of sorts, and many of his friends and associates were said to have left him in the lurch. But determined to remain relevant, he went into politics in 2007 when he declared his intention to contest the governorship of Imo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. But sadly, he got his hands burnt.
For him, it was not a total loss, as he was later made the Chairman of National Population Commission, NPC, by former President Goodluck Jonathan. At that point, many had thought his trials were over, but they were shocked when he was unceremoniously sacked after he made comments considered critical of a section of the country.
But like a cat with nine lives, he staged a comeback, following his support of Buhari. This, we gathered, was made possible by Obasanjo. In no time, the technocrat became one of Buhari’s close confidants; and it was being rumoured that he might be compensated in some way. The rumour spread far and wide that his name was included in the ministerial list. But, three years later it remained what it was, a rumour. However, while many are wondering what could have happened to the technocrat, Spyglass gathered that he might have got back his groove as 2019 approaches. A source revealed that he is putting finishing touches to his ambition for an elective position.