Chidiebube Okeoma, Owerri
The Imo State government and the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party on Friday clashed over the three years in office of the state governor, Hope Uzodimma.
While PDP in a press conference in Owerri by its spokesperson in the state, Collins Opuruozor, accused Uzodimma of leading the state astray in the past three years, the state government described PDP as a party made up of selfish and wicked politicans.
Opuruozor, said that the Uzodimma”s administration had been characterised with killings, dictatorship, looting and clampdown on rule of law and justice.
He said that under Uzodimma, the LGAs in the state had received a total of N180.6bn yet there was nothing on ground that shows that even a Kobo had been received from the Federal Government for the LGAs in the state.
Opuruozor said that the state is the most indethed state in the south East to the sum of N220 billion.
He said that the governor allegedly wants to borrow N354b on behalf of the state with the aim to prosecute his reelection bid.
He said “in the wake of the iron-fist regime in Imo, bloodshed, economic stagnation and mass penury, insecurity, infrastructural decay, poor healthcare, collapse of education, dearth of agricultural productivity, conscription of the political space and violation human rights have become the order of the day in Imo.
“For instance, the local government system, which is a mechanism put in place to expand and sustain the democratic space and spread democratic values, has been destroyed in Imo State. This is a huge tragedy! Imo is a state that has over seventy percent of her entire population living in the rural areas. Yet, the only channel through which governance can be delivered to the people has been completely run aground.
“In last thirty-six months, the regime of Senator Uzodinma has received from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) a total of N180.6 billion meant for the Local Governments in the State. Today, there is nothing on ground that shows that even a Kobo has gotten to the LGAs.
“”Senator Hope Uzodinma must, without any further delay, tell Imo people where he kept the N180.6 billion belonging to the Local Governments.
“What is now even more outrageous is that, this wobbling regime in Imo, in a show of ultra-despotism, coerced the malleable APC members of the Imo State House of Assembly to endorse the stripping off of autonomy of the local government system, the judiciary and the legislature. This is the most audacious attempt by Senator Uzodinma to make himself an emperor, enslave Imo people and create a society where his personal whims and caprices shall be law and where his powers are unchecked. This cannot be allowed to happen in Imo State!
“Imo PDP, therefore, condemns in the strongest terms the decision by the APC-led Imo State House of Assembly to destroy the judiciary, local government system and the legislature in Nigeria. The strong resistance put up by our members in the Assembly to this very obnoxious stance is exhilarating, and our Party immensely appreciates them for that.
“Furthermore, the reign of Uzodinma, which has made incessant borrowings a state policy, has now plunged Imo into irredeemable debt slavery. To be clear, debt instruments are supposed to be development tools which governments deploy for raising the financial and socio-economic wellbeing of their entities. The implication is that loans are invariably obtained so as to invest in those programs, initiatives and projects which have the prospect of turning around the economic circumstances of the borrowing entities and affording them the capacity not just to repay in future but also to create sustainable growth.”
Responding, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on print media, Modestus Nwamkpa said “It is laughable that Imo PDP, a party that is on a self destructive journey is behaving like the proverbial foolish child that was dancing while his house is on flre.
“How can a party that currently got judgement against itself to the point that it does not have a senatorial candidate in Imo West and the judgement technically affected all their candidates in Okigwe and Orlu zones be talking trash at this time? Imo PDP as we talk has no candidate in the whole of Orlu and Okigwe zones because all their primaries that produced their candidates in these areas were done in Owerri, outside their zones.
“Ironically, the same Imo PDP leaders and their few members abusing Governor Uzodimma and standing facts upside down are equally part of those enjoying the good roads and other infrastructure Governor Uzodimma is providing across the state. For instance, Imo PDP Chairman Charles Ugwu, before now has no road to his Okigwe house but is today plying on a motorable road to his house.
“Again, Ihedioha who even as a Governor for eight months could not fix a road leading to his Mbaise house until Uzodimma came on board and is working on it. The leaders of the party in Orlu zone are also enjoying the Orlu Owerri road that Uzodimma fixed that they could not fix.
“So, I think Imo PDP deserves to be pitied because they are destroying themselves thinking they are abusing Uzodimma. Imo people are already happy with the Governor because of the quality leadership and quality infrastructure that the Governor is providing. So let Imo PDP continue to masturbate their tomfoolery.”
