By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has absolved the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of any blame in the face of growing insecurity in Nigeria just as he said the party will win the 2023 General Elections comfortably.
Speaking to State House Correspondents on Tuesday in Abuja shortly after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at Presidential Villa, Uzodinma argued that the opposition is responsible for the insecurity in the country.
According to him, “part of the problem of this government is the deliberate attempt by some group of people to pull it down as nobody is saying that the sitting government is not performing, salaries of workers not being paid or that the roads are not being constructed or the railway is not going or the various intervention funds to empower Nigerian youths are not being given out”.
Uzodinma whose state is currently rocked by insesant attacks on government facilities by unknown gunmen, however accused some unnamed people of sending people out in the night to go and cause trouble and use it in day to blame government.
Said he: “Nobody has come in concrete terms to accuse this government of one failure or the other. All we hear is that herdsmen and farmers are fighting and for that reason 200 people are kidnapped. People are shot down there, people are killed there. What do you want government to do?
“We must be realistic. I believe in pragmatism. I believe in doing things right. Can anybody come and tell me one, two, three, four reasons why this APC should not win in the next election? Nobody I’ve said that I’ve not read either in any newspaper.
“All I hear is that because of insecurity this, insecurity that but you send people out in the night to go and cause trouble and use it in day to blame government”, he said.
Asked if he still believes that many South East Governors will join APC ahead of 2023 General Elections, Uzodinma replied:
“Not just from the South East, many governors in Nigeria will join the APC, because it not only the ruling party, it is the party that is today in government and they have seen in good conscience speaking honestly”.
On what he discussed with Mr. President during their closed door meeting, he said; “I’m satisfied with the quality of discussion I had with President Buhari.
Asked about the security breach in his state, he said:
“Of course, not just in my state, everywhere in Nigeria there are security breach here and there of course Imo is not left out. We are doing our best.
“So far, the situation is relatively okay in Imo State than it was. Imo is okay now, people can come around and do their businesses. The normal live and activities have resumed in Imo State, security agencies are on top of their situation”, he concluded.
