The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has berated Imo state governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma for absenting self from the Southern Nigeria Governors’ Forum meeting held in Lagos state earlier on Monday.
Governors from the southern part of the country who were meeting for the second time had discussed issues affecting the region such as open grazing, PIB, insecurity and subsequently endorsed the rotation and zoning of the 2023 presidency to the region. They also demanded restructuring of the country, among other issues.
But Imo state governor, who was absent at the first meeting, again, did not attend the meeting and reportedly did not send his deputy, Placid Njoku, to represent him.
The PDP in a statement signed by its Director-General, New Media, Collins Opurozor, said the party and Imolites are embarrassed and worried that Uzodinma has become notorious for his unexplained absence from all fora where governors of the seventeen states of Southern Nigeria gather to deliberate on critical issues affecting the region and Nigeria.
The party queried the continuous conspicuous absence of the governor at such a high-powered meeting, where sensitive decisions bordering on safety of lives of citizens in the southern part of the country and other sensitive issues were taken, adding that the governor’s absence betrayed his guilt and inferiority complex.
According to PDP, “When the Southern Governors’ Forum, at the peak of national security crisis, met in Asaba, Delta State two months ago, Senator Uzodinma was conspicuously absent. Even when far-reaching decisions – ban on open grazing, rejigging of the country’s security architecture, etcetera – were taken, Senator Uzodinma has till date kept mum.
“Senator Uzodinma, again, chose to distance himself at the meeting of Southeast Governors’ Forum held last month in Enugu, Enugu State.
“Just yesterday, Monday, 5th July, 2021, Southern Governors’ Forum again, had an all-important meeting in Lagos State, hosted by Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu, a member of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, yet Uzodinma was nowhere to be found.
“It is further perplexing that while Senator Uzodinma has maintained a suspicious distance from gatherings of duly elected governors to brainstorm on burning regional and national issues with a view to finding lasting solutions to the challenges, he has instead saddled himself with parties with expensive wines and champagnes.
“Very recently he has engaged in forgery, blackmail and propaganda against citizens of his own state. Hardly does a day pass without his regime concocting fake press releases and photoshoped images of innocent citizens who are critical of his regime, in a desperate attempt to either frame his perceived political foes or create the impression that he is gaining popularity. This is a total mirage.
“The recent fake press statements, authored by his rogue regime and ascribed to His Excellency Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON, and Senator Rochas Okorocha gave him away as a man who is yet to purge himself of perfidious mentality.
“Our party considers this decision by Senator Uzodinma never to participate in the affairs of Southern Nigeria, as demonstrated by his refusal to present himself alongside duly elected governors, is a pointer to the depth he has sank deeper in guilt and inferiority complex occasioned by insoluble legitimacy crisis.
“It is more heartaching to note that for almost three months, Senator Uzodinma has administered the state without an Attorney-General and Chief Law Officer. This unfortunate development betrays his illiteracy and insensitivity to the importance of the office of the Commissioner of Justice and indeed the workings of government.
“In this instance, it is a case of illegitimacy and incompetence taken to a record level since the return of democracy in 1999.
“It has become very glaring that the recent demand by our party that Senator Uzodinma resigns from office, was patriotic, timely and should be heeded without further delay.”
