PDP: Imo has collapsed under Uzodimma — residents in misery

The Imo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the state has collapsed under the administration of Hope Uzodimma, the governor.

The PDP, in a statement by Emenike Nmeregini, its state publicity secretary, said the 2020 supreme court judgment concerning the state governorship election “foisted the most reprehensible administration” on the people in the last two years.

The party said instead of securing the lives of the people of the state, Uzodimma has politicised the security situation in Imo and allowed the state to be overrun by kidnappers and terrorists.

The PDP said Imo has become the most indebted state in the south-east owing to the governor’s borrowing spree and with no meaningful project to justify the huge borrowings.

“The illegitimate regime of Senator Uzodinma has without remorse, abdicated the primary obligation of government as prescribed by the Constitution, which is the security of lives and property. Rather, it has politicized an unfortunate security situation in the state which has continued to gulp countless innocent lives, everyday. Today, bandits, terrorists, cannibals, kidnappers and unknown gunmen are almost overrunning the State,” the party said.

“Our party and indeed the people of Imo State regret that Senator Uzodinma suspended and summarily dismantled all the foundations and programmes our Rebuild Imo administration painstakingly put in place in all the sectors towards the rebuilding of Imo State.

“These and other programmes of the Rebuild Imo Administration were dumped by Uzodinma even when he embarked on a borrowing spree, in most cases, nocturnally, which has placed Imo as the most indebted state in the entire South East. This is worrisome given that the regime still cannot point to any landmark project it has done in two years to justify the huge borrowings.

“Imo has collapsed under Gov. Uzodinma. In the past two years, Senator Uzodinma has willfully denied workers and retirees their salaries and pensions. When workers stage protests, they are tagged fake and brutalized by agents of the government. Also, the local government system has been completely emasculated, defunded and stripped of autonomy, thus, giving way for mass misery at the grassroots.

“This is obviously not the Imo State we envisioned for our children. Within the years under review, Senator Uzodimma has had neither a well-researched policy nor direction in the various sectors of the state. This is the calamity that has befallen our State.”

The party alleged that within two years, Uzodimma has made Imo the unemployment capital of Nigeria.

“It is noteworthy that the relevant rating board, the Presidential Business Enabling Environment Council, has consistently placed Imo at the lowest rung of the ladder in terms of ease of doing business in Nigeria. Worse still, within two years, our state ranks highest in the South East in terms of infant and maternal mortality rates,” the PDP said.

“We wish to encourage the people of Imo State to keep the spirit alive. This regime must expire very soon to give way for a PDP led government for the good of the people.”