The permutation by some social crusaders and eminent politicians of South-East extraction that President Muhammadu Buhari while on official visit to Imo State will among other things, addressed the issues of the continual detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the demand for his successor to be a Nigerian of Igbo extraction was dashed as he was silent on these in his address.
Instead, the President commended Governor Hope Uzodimma for embarking on the projects which he said would not only improve the lives of the people, but also enhance movement of goods and services as well as the economy of the state.
Buhari said that the Federal Government is striving to improve infrastructure across all states of the federation and would therefore support all states doing the same for their people irrespective of political party.
He described roads as critical catalyst to the economic growth of the nation and gave an assurance that the federal government will continue to tackle the security challenges and other problems confronting the nation.
Surprisingly, most residents of the State stayed in-doors in presumed compliance with the sit-at-home directive by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) following the resummed trial of the detained leader of freedom fighting organization IPOB by a Federal High Court Abuja on Tuesday.
President Buhari during the working visit, commissioned three signature projects executed by Governor Uzodimma’s administration.
The projects are the 48km Owerri/Orlu dual carriage road, the 35km phase one of the 52km Owerri/Okigwe expressway and the rebuilt ultra mordern House of Assembly Complex.
The President Presidential jet touched down at the Sam Mbakwe International Airport, Owerri at exactly 10.46 am and was recieved by Governor Uzodimma, his Deputy, Prof. Placid Njoku, members of the State Executive Council and those of the state House of Assembly, traditional rulers, heads of security agencies in the state, as well as women and youth leaders.
The President shortly on arrival, inspected a guard of honour mounted by a detachment of Soldiers of 34 Artilary Brigade, Obinze, while some cultural troup entertained him and his entourage.
Expectedly, the sit-at-home order forced vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles, off the roads just as markets, shops, filling stations, banks, artisans, eatries all closed shops giving the state a picture of a deserted settlement.
Speaking earlier, Governor Uzodimma said the projects commissioned were abandoned and neglected by previous administrations in the state and are testimony of his administration’s resolve to leave the state better than he met it.
He said that his “Shared Prosperity Administration” has executed over 105 quality road projects in the state in addition to other projects to ensure that all nooks and crannies of the state enjoy motorable roads.
According to the governor “I am poised to recover our state from dire infrastructural decay and I have refused to be distracted by insecurity being masterminded by those who do not mean well for the state and I have refused also to succumb to social media blackmail and propaganda because as the saying goes, “seeing is believing”.
The governor commended the president for what he described as “his sustained love for Ndigbo” which he said has manifested in the upgrading of the Alvan Ikoku Federal College Education Owerri to a Federal University of Education, upgrading of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri to a University Teaching Hospital, the commissioning of the Second Niger Bridge and upgrading of the Akanu Ibiam Airport to an International Airport.
Uzodimma commended the President “for always responding to his invitation to commission projects executed by my administration” and gave an assurance that the people of his state will continue to support his administration.
Recall this is the second time in the past one year the president officially visited the state and commissioned projects.
