Acho Nwakanma
Eric Iheanacho "Acho" Nwakanma (// ⓘ; born 26 April 1958) is a Nigerian politician, businessman and philanthropist who served twice as the deputy governor of Abia State from 2006 to 2007 and from 2010 to 2011.
Acho Nwakanma | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Governor of Abia State | |
| In office 18 August 2010 – 29 May 2011 | |
| Governor | Theodore Orji |
| Preceded by | Chris Akomas |
| Succeeded by | Emeka Ananaba |
| In office March 2006 – 29 May 2007 | |
| Governor | Orji Uzor Kalu |
| Preceded by | Chima Nwafor |
| Succeeded by | Chris Akomas |
| Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly | |
| In office June 2003 – March 2006 | |
| Speaker | Stanley Ugochukwu Ohajuruka |
| Preceded by | Emeka Stanley |
| Succeeded by | Uzor Azubuike |
| Member of the Abia State House of Assembly | |
| In office June 1999 – March 2006 | |
| Succeeded by | Solomon Akpulonu |
| Constituency | Obingwa East |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eric Iheanocho Nwakanma 26 April 1958 |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Political party | Peoples Democratic Party (1998–2006, 2010–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Progressive Peoples Alliance (2006–2010) |
| Spouse |
Joy Ezinwanyi Nwakanma
(m. 1987) |
| Children | 4 |
| Occupation |
|
| Website | www |
His political career began in 1999 when he was elected into the Abia State House of Assembly to represent Obingwa East State Constituency. In 2003 he was re-elected and subsequently named deputy speaker of the House of Assembly until Kalu nominated him as deputy governor in 2006. He contested the 2007 Senatorial elections for Abia South Senatorial District on the platform of the Progressive Peoples Alliance but lost to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe in a post election legal battle. On 18 August 2010, Orji again named him as deputy governor to succeed Chris Akomas.
Nwakanma nursed the ambition of becoming the governor of Abia State at the end of Orji's tenure in 2015. He lost the bid to his brother-in-law Okezie Ikpeazu. In April 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him as Chairman of the Board of National Neuro Psychiatry Hospital, Enugu.