2023: Imo State Governor Urges Nigerians to Shun Divisive Tendencies

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, has appealed to Nigerians to halt the debate on the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the country’s governing party, All Progressive Congress and concentrate on issues that will unite the country and bring about development.

According to Uzodinma, the current insecurity as well as oil theft by those he described as anti-national interest, were more pressing.

The Governor made the appeal in an interview with State House correspondents in Abuja, after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said: “I think that even the media; I want to use this opportunity to invite you people to prioritize our area of interest. First, the mood of the country today is not about who the candidates are.
“The mood of the country is that two or three years ago, we were producing 2.1 million barrels of crude oil every day. For over 12 years, that has been our main source of foreign exchange. Suddenly, because of the activities of those who are anti-national, we’ve lost over a million barrels and barely managed to produce 1 million.
“I think we should arise in unison to condemn the activities of crude oil theft by anti-Nigerian interest groups and bring back the economy of the country because you have to have a country first before you have a president.”

The Governor emphasised that Nigerians must rise in unison against the activities of bandits and other enemies of the nation.

“Look at the quantum of banditry going on in Nigeria today. To the extent that bandits are courageously even coming into the capital city. We should rise in unison and condemn these activities. “We should make emphasis on things that will unite the country and by the grace of God abandon those things that are capable of dismembering the country.
“Our national interest is important. Our national unity is important. Our ability to live together as brothers and sisters is also important. The primary purpose of government is for the security of lives and property and the welfare of our citizens. To what extent have we supported the Nigerian government in achieving this primary purpose? Those are things that should occupy our minds now. But if you throw Nigeria into a situation where religious dichotomy, ethnic jingoism will be at the front burner, it means you are working against Nigeria.
“So let us allow political parties who have chosen their candidates, no matter the religion where they come from, to go out and do their campaign. It is left for the electorate to reject the ticket by not voting for them. Or accept the ticket by voting for them. But if we continue to make these things headlines, you are hitting up our polity unnecessarily. I want to beg you in the name of God, let us save our country,” he stated.

The Governor said he was in the State House to seek presidential approval for the Federal Medical Center Owerri to be converted to Federal University of Technology Teaching Hospital and for Alvan Ikoku College of Education to become Federal University of Education Owerri.

“I have approached the President to approve that the Federal Medical Center Owerri be converted to Federal university of Technology Teaching hospital. So if it is upgraded to a teaching hospital, it would be available to the Federal University of Technology to use in maintaining and managing the medical school approved by the National University Commission (NUC).
“On second hand, you will recall that Alvan Ikoku College of Education prior to 2015 was taken over by the federal government. The process started under the regime of the late President Yar’Adua, completed by President Goodluck Jonathan and in 2015, it was placed on hold.
“Now that the schools have met with all the requirements expected of them, I have come to plead with Mr. President to direct that the hold be lifted, so that Alvan Ikoku College of Education will become the Federal University of Education Owerri. I am so excited that Mr. President gave me assurances that these two requests will be approved,” he added.

Confidence Okwuchi