The Imo state Governor Hope Uzodinma on a television talkshow condemned the verbal attacks on President Bola Tinubu GCFR, over the relocation to Lagos some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN and the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria FAAN from Abuja Nigeria.
He said the criticisms against the president were either borne out of political mischief or ignorance since that action did not amount to moving the nation ‘s capital back to Lagos.
While speaking as a guest of Channels Television, Imo Governor urged Nigerians to focus on the economic benefit of the exercise as it was meant to save cost and engender efficient productivity.
He dismissed the claims of some Northerners that President Tinubu was planning to move the capital of Nigeria back to Lagos, saying such insinuations were totally unfounded, as the president lacked the powers to unilaterally effect such a fundamental change
According to him, ” it has been made clear that those departments need to be close to the banks CBN is supervising which are in Lagos. We also know that Lagos is the hub of the aviation industry. So ,I don’t see anything wrong with what the President has done “
He noted that as a former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, he was aware of the huge resources expended in shuttling between Abuja and Lagos for the routine supervision.
The governor added that such expense is to cumbersome talk more of some staff who shuttle to from Lagos and Abuja on a daily basis.
The Governor however commended some Northern personalities and groups, including the Northern Senators Forum and the Emir of Kano for supporting the planned relocation of those departments.
Describing the exercise as purely administrative, Uzodinma accused the opposition of blowing it out of proportion to score cheap political points.
He described President Tinubu as a first class patriot and nationalist who will never promote any policy to endanger the unity of Nigeria, and urged Nigerians to support the programmes and policies of the president.
On his plan for Imo State during his second tenure, Uzodinma disclosed that his achievements in the second tenure will dwarf those of the first tenure.
He declared that in spite of the politically motivated insecurity that tended to distract him during his first term, he was able to achieve more than 75 per cent of his electoral promises.
According to him, his massive infrastructural development and human capital development were the cardinal issues that won him reelection, which he will continue to pursue with vigour in his second tenure.
Gov Uzodinma added that the youths will be more gainfully employed through the Imo Skill-up project, among other laudable policies embedded in his prosperity agenda.
He therefore pledged to ensure the reduction of poverty in the state and the strengthening of the economy is certainly achievable in his second term.
The Governor also advised Nigerians to calm down and watch the economical giant stride, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration will establish in his time as Nigeria’s President.
-Princely Onyenwe reporting
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