By: Chibundu Obizuo
WHY SEN. HOPE UZODIMMA DESERVES SECOND TENURE IN OFFICE …#Series1
Powered By: Imo Hope For Good Governance
The governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Sen Hope Uzodimma has proved to book makers that he is sufficiently equipped to govern Imo State and restore the state to its former glory and possibly to surpass it and write a new history of performance for the Eastern Heartland.
When the governor reclaimed his mandate from the courts, some opposition elements devised several derogatory names for him including Supreme Court Governor.
It is evident that every election could be subjected to litigation and the highest court that settles executive matters is the Supreme Court. That is the apex court and court of competent jurisdiction to adjudicate election matters of governorship.
Recall that there were many cases settled by the supreme Court in the past and there were no dust raised. We all understand that imo State is a state with peculiar nature. It is a state where people are more vocal than any other state, a state where everybody is a professional analyst even where matters and facts are not fully considered based on it’s merit.
Recall that the 9th House of Assembly of Imo State recorded the highest turnover of principal officers in the history of democracy in the country, producing four speakers within a space of 4 years. That shows the inherent aggression in the polity. And other sessions recorded change and truncation of leadership within the tenures.
Giving someone credit based on excellent delivery is difficult so long as it does not agree with some personal interest such as partisanship.
Former Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi did not contest general election but the Court ruled that he was the governor and no one called him names. He took charge and ruled for eight years and has continued in his political trajectory.
Mr Peter Obi was a silent candidate who entered the race and through the courts, upstaged the ruling party and he ruled, with the aid of the judiciary, completed his eight years, and was never called names.
Governor Diri of Bayelsa state took over reigns of power from David Lyon and no one calls him names reference to the supreme Court that empowered him, but Imo State polity always sounds different. We need to reconsider our ways and encourage our leaders God has sent to us for the good of Imo State.
Gov. Hope Uzodimma took over reigns from Chief Emeka Ihedioha, who was known to have been declared governor without satisfying the principle of simple majority and spread as required by the Constitution. He was aware of it but wanted to use the instrument of power to suppress agitation. Because it favoured the opposition, no tongues were wagging but when the mandate was restored, it became supreme Court.
The good news is that Gov. Hope Uzodimma has successfully navigated the tides of poor political narratives to set Imo State on the path of recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation. In terms of governance, he has beefed up government apparatus with qualified and competent people. That is why significant strides are being recorded in various sectors of the economy of Imo State.
In the area of Education, the governor ensured that he recovered the Eastern Palm University, from Owelle Rochas Okorocha, not for himself but for the government of Imo State. The school was renamed Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe (KOU). Now a multibillion naira institution built with taxpayers money has been recovered, kudos to His Excellency Sen Hope Uzodimma.
On assumption of office, Gov. Hope Uzodimma observed that Medical students of Imo State University spent 11 years in the university, without graduation, due to lack of accreditation. He quickly sorted it out and the university graduated students after over a decade. Other courses that lost accreditation have all been cleared and accredited.
Also, the University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Umuagwo began academic works. He facilitated the relocation of Imo Polytechnic to their new location at Omuma. This is another giant stride of the governor, placing Imo on the positive map of development.
Added to that is the settlement of dispute between FUTO and the host community, thereby giving the school a breather. In addition, securing the approval of Federal Medical Centre Owerri to become FUTO Teaching Hospital is an amazing development. With this, FUTO medical college will now function without any hindrance. Also upgrade of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education to a Federal University is another amazing feat by Sen. Hope Uzodimma.
Another giant stride is the ongoing recruitment of over 10,000 teachers to revive public schools. This is an amazing step by the governor who is determined to restore the lost glory of public institutions. It points at a near future when parents and guardians will withdraw from the craze for private schools and return their wards and children to public schools. This is a bold step indeed. There is also the ongoing plan to embark on renovation and equipping of schools to shore up the standard of learning in the state.
The governor is focused on promoting the collective well-being of Imo people and therefore needs to be encouraged without unnecessary distractions churned out by the minority whose interest is not to serve people but to clinch power for selfish use.
The era of grabbing has gone. The era of dispossessing people of their properties has gone. The era of substandard projects has gone and now is the time to take Imo to the next level of productive governance.
IMO Hope for Good Governance, IHFGG, is convinced that Governor Hope Uzodimma is ready to set Imo State on auto cruise of positive governance and development in Imo State.
- Dolly Online News, 2023
