Inauguration: How Uzodimma’s Re-Election Was Sealed

COLLINS OPUROZOR

What happened in Owerri today was not a mega political rally. It was not even a rally. I recall leafing through a report that described it as APC campaign flag-off. No. It was just an inauguration. The National Campaign Council for the re-election of Governor Hope Uzodinma was inaugurated. And Owerri was shut down.

Today’s inauguration reminds me of a saying by Jerry Alagbaoso. A lady was told, “Nne, you’re beautiful.” She responded, “You have not seen my younger sister.” If the inauguration of campaign council was like this, how would the campaign flag-off be?

One message that today’s star-studded inauguration has delivered is the strength of Imo APC’s internal solidarity and the collective resolve of Imo people to renew the mandate of Governor Uzodinma for another four years given his stellar performance across all sectors. The Governor has surpassed the righteous expectations of Imo people. Simple and short.

Is it not interesting that for the first time in the history of Imo State, no governorship candidate is promising to build roads anymore? Also, nobody talks about China roads. Even the unrepentant enemies of good things would say, “Na only road we go chop?” They forget that the pre-condition for the economic takeoff of every society is the provision of associated infrastructure, and that every development goes through the road.

When we discussed Imo during the governorship campaigns in 2019, the monthly IGR of the State was a paltry N465 million, lowest in the Southeast. Today, Imo is posting almost N3 billion monthly. This is the logical consequence of the regime of fiscal discipline and accountable stewardship which Governor Uzodinma has engenderd. The position of Imo in the Annual States Viability Index has skyrocketed. Many good things are happening at the same time.

An ICT revolution is taking place in Imo State through the Skill-Up Imo Project of the Government. This initiative has trained thousands of young Imolites in different digital skills and equipped them, thereby making them viable human beings who are today economically self-reliant. Hundreds of web developers, many hundreds of video and graphics editors, more hundreds of cyber security experts from Imo are now being supplied to the global market.

It is now clear that another four years of Governor Uzodinma would mean that unemployment might become a taboo in the State. It is always cheaper to train people and engage them than to fight them when they become criminals. This is the soft security philosophy that the Governor has implemented. And the result has been mind-blowing.

What is even more heartwarming is that the Governor has begun to diversify the economic base of the State for post-oil realities. Alternative sources of energy are being explored globally. It means the economic relevance of our crude oil is dwindling every day. But Imo State is already ahead.

With the pure clay which deposits are vast in Amuro-Okigwe, this Shared Prosperity Government is set to make Imo a net exporter of ceramics, earning foreign exchange. This is even as the State’s agricultural assets are being aggressively revamped. A leader looks into the future.

As we savour the joy of today’s inauguration, may we remember that Governor Uzodinma’s first term is just like that proverbial pretty lady with a prettier younger sister. Another four years will be prettier, Ndimo!