The Imo Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the 2023 November election, Senator Athan Nneji Achonu, has called on the State governor, Hope Uzodimma to resign from his position as governor for his woeful failure as chief security officer of the State.
Sen Achonu mentioned that Governor Uzodimma, in a swift move to cover up his weakness, abdicated his constitutional responsibility in securing the lives and properties of Imo citizens to youths, community leaders and traditional ruler.
Addressing the Governor’s critical shortcomings in a press release issued through his Campaign Director General, Chime Nzeribe in Owerri, Senator Achonu made this demand in response to the recent meeting which Governor Uzodimma convened with traditional rulers, president-generals of associations and youth leaders of the 655 communities in the State.
Achonu stated that the recent decision of the Imo State Government to dole out the sum of One million naira (N1m) to each of the traditional rulers for security, amounts to inducement in a critical matter that concerns their life.
He wondered why it took the governor over three years to recognize and appreciate the need to fund security at the grassroots while the State was ravaged by mindless killings and wanton destruction of properties over the period.
“What Governor Uzodimma has simply done is to confirm the belief among majority of Imolites that he does not have any idea on how to tackle the issue of insecurity ravaging the State. The most honourable thing for him to do is to resign instead of wasting our time and money, pretending to be the governor, when in the real sense, he doesn’t know what his office entails.”
According to Achonu, “given the timing of the disbursement less than four months to the governorship election, it is obvious that this Greek gift was actually aimed at compromising the traditional institution in the State to become apostles and supporters of the administration’s failed and decadent agenda.
“The first duty of any government is to protect lives and properties of the citizenry. A governor, by the dictates of our Federal Constitution is the Chief Security Officer of the State. If Uzodimma is telling the citizens under his security care to protect themselves that simply means that he lacks capacity to remain as their Governor.
“It is indeed worrisome that less than four months to the governorship election in Imo State, which he, is a candidate, Gov Uzodimma just realized that the traditional institution exists.
“Between October 19, 2021 and July 17, 2023, about five traditional rulers including uncountable Imo indigenes have been reportedly murdered in cold blood and the killings are still going on,” Sen Achonu stated.
Achonu went further to explain that the Governor, having failed in his statutory rights to address the security challenges in the State holistically, should not present himself for re-election, adding that doling out money is not enough when there are no moral and sincere support including direct interface with the people as a governor.
“Uzodimma has demonstrated that he doesn’t have the ideas or capacity to protect Imolites hence, his call for the people to resort to self-help speaks volume. He should vacate that seat and make way for people like me, with experience to come on board and practically salvage the situation. The security models are at my fingertip and embedded in my manifesto,” Sen Achonu added.
