Governor Uzodinma – The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, Tuesday met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.
Mr Uzodinma told journalists after the meeting that he discussed the erosion ravaging parts of his state with the president.
The governor also spoke about his stance on his party, APC, zoning its 2023 presidential ticket to the Southeast.
He also spoke on the APC situation in his state and his relationship with his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha.
Read excerpts of his interview with State House reporters below.
Uzodinma: I came to see Mr President, first to greet him and share some of the issues that are confronting my administration in Imo State. In specific terms the issue of erosion, the level of erosion in Imo State is alarming and I have taken time to explain to Mr President and he has assured me that the Federal Government will intervene as soon as possible.
I used the opportunity also to bring to his knowledge the development in the South East and that our people are grateful on the completion and opening of the Enugu Airport and we are also happy with the speed and the pace of work at the Second Niger Bridge and the various agric intervention programmes he brought to South East; and also use the same opportunity to ask for more because you know in this business, the more you get, you must ask for more. I am sure and I believe that Mr President is committed towards alleviating some of the problems in the South East region and Imo in particular.
Q: There is a bye election in Imo North Senatorial District and it appears that APC may not do well because of internal crisis, what is your opinion on this?
Uzodinma: If you understand my history and know where I am coming from, you will agree with me that my knowledge of party management is robust and I can assure you that issues and activities that took place before election, of course any seasoned and experienced party administrator who is in-charge like I am now will do his best to ensure that there is no faction or all those factors that would weaken the strength of the party in the state.
On the contrary, of late, I have taken time to unite the party, bring all the people in. You must have heard how 23 members of the House of Assembly left their parties and have joined APC. You must have heard how a sitting state chairman of the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) left PDP and joined the APC with his executive. You must have also heard how AA (Action of Alliance), the followers of former Governor Rochas Okorocha, have also joined back the APC. APC is the ruling party and APC is very strong not only in Imo State, it is growing from strength to strength now in the entire South East region.
Q: There has been agitation in the South East for the zone to produce the president come 2023. But former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor-Kalu, said any person can contest from anywhere and that APC hasn’t zoned it, what is your reaction?
Uzodinma: Well you know the position is not vacant now, there is a sitting president and we are practicing partisan democracy and not tribal democracy. So the emergence of presidential candidate will come on party by party basis, not tribe by tribe basis. But if there are other internal factors that will form part of the considerations for parties taking decision of course, that will be entirely the job of the leadership of those political parties and I think that is the right thing to do.
Q: What is the situation with the protesting pensioners? Have you been able to reach amicable settlement, have their grievances been resolved?
Uzodinma: Well, the issue of pension in Imo State like I did say in so many fora where I had the opportunity to speak to press men is that I met a pension system that was analogue based where the number of pensioners are not known, where those who are pensioners are not known where those who are not pensioners are receiving pension.
So I embarked on the process of automation and this is a recommendation from World Bank under their SFTAS (States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability) programme.
p of the Senate and former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has arrived Minna, Niger state for his visit to his political leaders. Kalu arrived at the power state at exactly 2 pm alongside political friends, associates, and aides.
The Senate Chief Whip is currently with the former Military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB), after which he will proceed to the homes of former President of Nigeria and Military General, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Governor of Niger state Abubakar Sani Bello and Emir, Etsu of Lapai, Niger State, Details of the meeting were still being gathered at the time of filing this report.
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