The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma returned to the state, Wednesday after spending several consecutive weeks in Abuja.
The most important assignment he performed on his return, was to receive the Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla who visited the state.
A Government House source who confided in this reporter, expressed delight that the Governor is back to the state.
According to him, “Governor Uzodinma has personalized governance to the extent that the moment he leaves the state for any reason all activities are shut down. This is because, no Commissioner can approve more than four hundred thousand naira (#400,000). The Deputy Governor is not in charge, neither is the Chief of Staff”
“Most of the over 250 aides he recently appointed are yet to be allocated offices, not to talk of being paid. Hopefully, now that he is back, things can start moving, till he leaves again”.
He further stated that “there are also speculations that, sequel to Governor Uzodinma’s opposition to Tinubu’s emergence as President and his tacit support for Senator Almed Lawan who he mobilized funds to purchase the Presidential nomination form for, he has not found it easy to penetrate the circle of power in Abuja. All efforts he has made to appease Tinubu and his close aides have consistently hit the rock”.
“He had, on several occasions scheduled to meet the President one on one but was also disappointed at the last minute, as the visits were cancelled”.
“He is meeting with the President, with respect to the November, 11, 2023 governorship election. That is why he is not leaving anything to chance”.
“It was also gathered that the Governor left Imo for Enugu yesterday and will soon leave again for Abuja, where he hopes to make in road into the Tinubu administration, despite all odds”.
Some Imolites who commented on the development which they described as retrogressive and a waste of resources, wondered why the Governor has personalized governance as if Imo State is his property.
They also condemned his regular visits to Abuja at the expense of the state’s scare resources, when there are a lot of issues to be addressed including insecurity, non payment of pensions, gratuity and accumulated arrears of salaries due to staff of the several parastatals in the state.
