The failure of Governor Hope Uzodimma and his poor performance are the major factors fuelling insecurity in Imo State, according to the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a statement on Monday.
The PDP was reacting to earlier accusations by Uzodimma that disgruntled opposition politicians were sponsoring the insecurity as well as attacks on facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state.
Uzodimma who made the allegations when he visited the state police headquarters in Owerri following another attack on the INEC office, absorbed his administration of any blame but rather claimed that insecurity in the state was politically motivated by “politicians desperate to win elections by all means.”
But in a counter statement issued by the PDP Publicity Secretary in the state, Collins Opurozor, the party said Uzodimma’s bad governance had made insecurity to persist in the state.
“The Peoples Democratic Party in Imo State has reviewed the statement made by the Governor of the State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, in the aftermath of last night’s attack on INEC office in Owerri,” the statement reads.
“According to him, the attack was politically contrived by those who are desperate to win elections by all means.
“To say the very least, this jaundiced and false excuse has once again betrayed Senator Uzodinma’s abiding failure to keep Imo people safe. This governor can no longer defend his inability to deliver on the primary expectation of political governance, which is the security of lives and property.
“By the way, what else defines political desperation better than a man who came fourth in an election but usurped the people’s mandate through a judicial heist, and now sees himself as their feudal lord?
“From the first week of January this year to the second week of December, Senator Uzodinma has continued to tell Imo people that his enemies are behind the carnage and ravages going on in the state. He has failed to name who are the enemies. He has also failed to bring them to book. Instead, he repeats the same thing day after day with the intention of hiding his failures and getting sympathisers.
“Imo PDP regrets that, in view of Senator Uzodimma’s lack of sincerity and genuine commitment to addressing the festering insecurity in the state, the valleys of Orsu, the forests of Orlu and the rocky hills of Okigwe have now become safe havens for terrorists, bandits and kidnappers who now make life a misery for Imo people.
“Our party holds that the insecurity in Imo is simply and squarely a direct consequence of the catastrophic failure of governance in the State under the unpopular regime of Senator Uzodimma.
“Our party deems it very important to remind Imo people and Nigerians that, before this latest attack on INEC office in the state, there had been some other desperate efforts by those who came to power through the back door to undermine the capacity of INEC to conduct free, fair and credible elections in the State.
“Our party, therefore, continues to condemn these legal, cyber and physical attacks on INEC, and asks security agencies to probe beneath the surface to establish possible links which the secret court action against INEC and earlier attack on INEC voter register might have with the recent attack on INEC Office in Owerri. Those found guilty of one cannot file a disclaimer over the others.”
