OMPALAN to PDP: Stop distracting Uzodinma - The Nation Newspaper
By Onyedi Ojiabor, Abuja
The Imo State Chapter of Oil and Solid Mineral Producing Area Landlords’ Association of Nigeria (OMPALAN), Friday asked the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to stop distracting Governor Hope Uzodinma from delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
The State Chapter Chairman, Chief Chibunna Ubawuike, stated this in Abuja while reacting to developments in Imo State.
He said the protests being staged by PDP in the state were deliberate attempts to distract the governor from fulfilling his mandate to the people.
Ubawuike, an All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, noted that OMPALAN and majority of other sons and daughters of state were solidly behind Uzodinma.
He said that it was obvious that Uzodinma was earlier denied his mandate to bring succour to the people of the state.
He said “Members of OMPALAN want to express our support to the government of Hope Uzodinma.
“We want the world to know that OMPALAN worked to ensure that his mandate was retrieved and we thank the Supreme Court for doing justice to his case by declaring him the governor on Jan.14.
“We want to let the world know that all the political demonstrations that the ousted PDP government in Imo State are embarking on is not acceptable.
“No right thinking Imolite will come out to demonstrate against the government of Gov. Hope Uzodinma.”
The chapter chairman said the emergence of Uzodinma as Imo State Governor was an answered prayer.
The governor, he said, should be allowed to deliver on his mandate.
Ubawuike noted that “Imolites have been battered and bruised politically and they have been hoping for Hope and Hope is here to bring succour to them.
He said, “Hope is here to give them all those things they have been denied of, infrastructure, health facilities and others. Hope is here to provide the democratic deliverables so they should give him a chance.
“They should stop renting crowd to demonstrate and they should stop intimidation and blackmail that they are involved in.
“Instead they should support him to deliver on democratic dividends to the people of Imo State.
“Those accusing him of stealing another person’s mandate do not have voter’s card and could not have voted in the election.
“I participated in the election and I voted for him.
“My organisation mobilised massively for him and voted for him.
“It was to our chagrin and consternation when the result went the other way round and we urged him to go to court to redress the injustice and here we are, the Supreme Court gave him back his mandate.”
He noted that the Supreme Court ruling was a confirmation that Gov. Uzodinma won the election.
On reports that the PDP wanted the apex court to review of the case, Ubawuike said the party was at liberty to do so but “not to disrupt the peace of the people.”
He commended Uzodinma for remaining focused in spite of efforts to paint him in bad light before the people.
“He has given us assurance that he will do it and he has started well.
“Before his assumption of office, permanent secretaries had no vehicles, civil servants were owed salaries but now he has given brand new vehicles to the permanent secretaries befitting their offices so that they can work well.
“We in OMPALAN are proud to say our hope is alive in Hope Uzodinma as the governor of Imo State and he needs the support of everyone in the state to deliver not distraction.”
Ubawuike urged the governor to continue to work to ensure that his manifesto, which was anchored on reconstruction, recovery and delivery to the people of Imo State, was effectively implemented.