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By Martin Nwoko
The leading opposition party in Imo State, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has raised alarm over plans by the Imo State government to coerce traditional rulers in to protest for a matter that is purely that of Governor Hope Uzodinma stressing that the action is capable of bringing shame and disgrace to the entire state whereby traditional rulers in the state are been forced to protest over what they know nothing about, which more so reduces the highly revered traditional institution to nothing in the state.
Addressing Newsmen at the party secretariat in Owerri, the state Chairman of PDP,Sir Martin Ejiogu reiterated that Imo State is not the sole estate of present administration of Senator Hope Uzodinma but one that belongs to all Imolites. He thereby called on the traditional rulers to avoid being used by any individual or group of persons for their personal interest in order not to lose its respect and value in the state.
Sir Martin Ejiogu alleged that the present administration of Senator Hope Uzodinma is under a siege by a set of people who have proved not to have the overall interest of Imolites at heart. The party maintained that its basis were on the visible and verifiable performances and achievements that it accomplished during the seven (7) months that Imo PDP was in power with its Rebuild Imo agenda.
Speaking further, the Imo PDP expressed regret over the inability of Governor Hope Uzodinma’s administration to pay salaries and pensions regularly since it came into power. It opined that its investigations and findings reveal that the present administration in the state has received a total sum of N175.5 billion as a combination of revenue from federal account for the state and local government, as loans borrowed so far, as savings from ghost workers and Pensioners said to be uncovered by the Hope Uzodinma’s government and as internally generated revenue by the present administration.
The party stated that till date, the basic responsibility of governance in Imo State which includes payment of salaries and pensions has remained a mission impossible for the present administration in the state even after workers had provided their bank accounts with BVN, yet, they are still not paid salaries and pensions at the end of the month.
The party therefore called on the Hope Uzodinma led administration to rescind its decision to drag traditional rulers of Imo State origin into its private political impasse also urged all traditional rulers in the state not to sacrifice their image and respect on the altar of fear of the unknown and temporary deprivations, as well as to be courageous enough to challenge the numerous falsehood being peddled by the office of the Governor as responsible for non-payment of salaries, since the state collects N8 billion monthly.
