Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has accused a particular former governor of the state of being responsible for the legion of problems confronting his administration.
The governor who made the allegation at his 2022 maiden stakeholders meeting with the people of the state in Owerri, although declined to name the particular ex-governor in question, insisted that he (the former governor) still sees himself as a sitting governor who should dictate the act of governance in the state by all means and at all costs.
“But I have the capacity and will to checkmate him and by the special grace of God, he will never succeed because the people are solidly behind me,”Uzodimma said.
He therefore called for provisions for penalty against a governor who fails to comply with the law after he might have left office.
This, he argued, would compel incumbent governors to be conscious of the legal imperative of accountability even as he decried the avoidable rots and administrative malfeasance committed by some past administrations in the state.
Giving a graphic picture of his stewardship so far, the governor challenged critical stakeholders of the state to take proactive steps to ensure that never again would one man rape the state in broad daylight while the people watch helplessly like strangers.
“We must find a way to hold the elect accountable while in office and if we had a preventive mechanism in place, our common patrimony could not have been appropriated at will under our watch,” he said.
Lamenting the torrents of security challenges that rocked the state in the past, the governor blamed those he said are bent to pull down his administration because of greed and selfishness.
Apart from a rejuvenated public sector workforce, provision of infrastructure and enhanced welfare for workers and pensioners in the state, he said that the global economic meltdown had made it imperative that all alternative sources of revenue must be provided to boost the economy outside and dependence on federal allocation.
Uzodimma disclosed that the state government would engage the federal government to control the dams for dry season farming at Inyinshi in the Ikeduru Local Government Council and Okigwe, just as the Central Bank of Nigeria and other relevant bodies that have facilities for those in agriculture are equally been engaged in agriculture to consider the state and her people.
Other areas he said had received maximum attention by his administration are: tourism, education, industry, housing, health and social development.
He therefore called for concerted efforts by the people to enable his administration to deliver more democracy dividends.
