As Governor Hope Uzodimma-led state government in Imo State celebrates its first year in office, ‘Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor, reports on the ceremonies and the opinion of Imo citizens over the performance of the government
LAST Friday, January 15, 2021 was widely celebrated as a very remarkable day in Imo State. Across the state, the people described it as the day to mark one year of shared prosperity across Imo State. That day, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the governor of the southeastern state, clocked one year in office. While taking his oath of office this time last year, the governor promised an impactful first year in office. Many observers of the politics of the state say he has fulfilled that promise.
To numerous pundits, the coming of Uzodimma is timely and divine following the unsavory state of things in the state occasioned by what many commentators described as years of political infightings and misplaced priorities by successive administrations. “The state suffered decayed infrastructure, under development and an unprecedented rottenness of the civil service before the coming of Uzodimma. And the fact that within one year, he has been able to put Imo back on the road to sanity is the reason for this celebration,” Comrade Ben Osuala, former scribe of the All Peoples Party (APP), said.
Although the government resolved to postpone all forms of celebration to a later day, perhaps owing to the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic across the country, many individuals and groups across the state, irrespective of party affiliations, spent the day acknowledging what they described as the starling efforts of the current administration in repositioning Imo State. “The structure of an emperor was being laid in the state by the Okorocha-led administration and no wonder there was wild jubilation in the state after the Supreme Court ousted Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP and restored the mandate stolen from the APC candidate, Senator Uzodimma,” Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Simon Ebegbulem, said.
Many are praising the governor for his all- inclusiveness. Others say he is touching every part of the state as he soldiers on. Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, a leading chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), recently spoke glowingly about the current situation in Imo State. He said: “Today, the Imo State Government, led by His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has given political appointments to many men and women from Owerri Zone. So far, in his development efforts, he has not discriminated against Owerri Zone, or any other part of the state.
“These few people should change their ways and know that a governor of a state has got executive powers; he takes decision on economic and social issues pertaining to the state. I have observed that His Excellency, Hope Uzodinma has been fair to the three zones in the State; Okigwe, Owerri and Orlu, in allocation of resources. He did not take the part of narrow-minded politicians who always try to victimise those who did not support or vote for them.”
“In retrospect, January 15, 2020 will go down in the history of the state as the beginning of a new dawn in socio-political and economic crusading and development, as events of the last 365 days confirm Governor Uzodimma as a leader who walks his talk. He matches on unwaveringly in fulfillment of the dreams of a greater Imo, under his administration’s 3Rs mantra of Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction. Uzodimma, who is from the Royal family of the Omuma clan, was prepared from the outset for this herculean task; and therefore had a clear cut appreciation of the challenges facing the state and how to tackle them.
“Recall his campaign promise of making Imo the Dubai of Africa and turning it into an industrial hub, and do a dispassionate assessment of what we have going on in Imo State today, and you will agree with me that the march to our glorious days is here. Brushing off idle distractions from the not-so-unexpected quarters, Senator Uzodimma has, of course, rolled up his sleeves in ensuring he delivers on the dividends of democracy to Ndi Imo and by extension widening the scope of acceptability of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southeast. For those that fail to see the larger picture, time will tell. However, following the bitter battle in the APC between him and the then Governor Okorocha and later Ihedioha, people thought Uzodimma was going to embark on a political vendetta against his adversaries. But he disappointed them. He focused on revamping the economy of the state instead and declared that time to play politics was over, urging all his lieutenants to focus on development,” Ebegbulem added.
Politically, Uzodimma has not only made the APC a household party in the state, but is working hard to make it the preferred party of the people of the entire Southeast. As he earlier promised, APC now has two governors in the Southeast zone with the dumping of the PDP by Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State. “The people of the Southeast must key into the development strides of the President Muhammadu Buhari presidency, so we can reap from it. PDP has marginalised Ndigbo over the years; so the PDP is never an option to Ndigbo. I have spoken to most of these my brother governors in the Southeast and I am glad that they have shown interest in joining the ruling party for the sake of our people,” Uzodimma said recently.
Of course, Uzodimma is not without critics. Even as he celebrated a year in office amidst high ovation, some of his critics are of the opinion that he hasn’t done enough. “Yes, there are the unscrupulous ones, whose avowed interest remains in feathering their own nests as against serving the interest of the larger people and those of the ordinary Imolites. Even to his detractors, the achievements of Senator Hope Uzodimma in the last one year remain outstanding, including but not limited to infrastructure and economic development, manpower development, rural and agricultural expansion, and financial probity. For over eight years, our roads, both in the capital and its suburbs, degenerated and became eyesores. Or, how else would the mess met on the ground on his assumption of office, have developed, if indeed Owelle Rochas Okorocha or his successor had made any efforts in meeting the needs of the people of the state? Instead, they indulged in self aggrandisement as their hubris.
“As God would have it, Senator Hope Uzodimma is not the crying baby type, and rather than apportion blame, he took up the gauntlet and went to work, hitting the ground running.
“In the area of economic expansion, standardisation work on the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport section began in earnest, notwithstanding the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the cry of Owerri people due to the destruction of their ancestral Eku Ukwu market by the then administration of Governor Okorocha, which led to the death of a little boy known as Somto, Uzodinmma’a administration decided to build a modern market at Eku Ukwu, which would house over 3,500 shops, parking lots and other facilities obtainable in any other modern market around the world. As we speak, work is ongoing in the project being constructed by the Amanda Group,” Ebegbulem explained.
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