By Chesa Chesa
Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, says President Bola Tinubu’s decision to suspend the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, cannot be questioned.
He spoke to journalists on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja after he met with the President.
Asked to react in his position as Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, Uzodimma said: “This is very clear. Whether Progressive Governors Forum, or whether as governor of Imo State, we have only one president whose wisdom we cannot question.
“And what is more, if there are allegations and the President said I want to look into it, I think it’s consistent with the law and the oath of office he swore to. So I don’t think it is something that will begin to create a menu now for the media. so I think let’s allow the sleeping dog to lie.”
On what brought him to visit the President, the governor said “I came to wish Mr. President Happy New year and he received me very well and I used the opportunity to inform him formally of my inauguration and swearing-in as governor of Imp State, (second term) which has been scheduled for January 15 2024 in Owerri. I used the opportunity to invite him to grace the occasion if possible with his presence.
“I also used the opportunity to inform him of the successes we are recording in the management of the security issues we’ve had over the years in the Southeast, especially in Imo State.
“The President is very glad with the positive developments and also has assured me of his continued support towards the development of Imo State.”
Asked to update the public on dredging of Oguta Lake and Orashi river project, he replied that “as it has to do with Orashi River project, we are partnering with Nigerian Navy working with some consortium of companies and so far from the work programme, the entire hydrographic survey of Oguta Lake to Orashi up to Atlantic Ocean has been completed and certified by the number one hydrographer of the country, the Nigerian Navy, they did the programme by themselves in partnership with Imo State government.
“It is still work in progress. It is our hope that towards the middle of this year, dredging proper will start. And going by our work programme and its milestones definition sheet which has also timelines. It is our hope that 18 months will be the proper period for the entire dredging of lake Orishi River to the Atlantic Ocean, working on two shifts, day or night.”
On schools not opening on Mondays, he explained that “by this time last two years it was in all the places. So that today you are reporting pockets of two or three communities. It is not as if we have not to managed the insecurity very well.
“But we have embarked on an awareness campaign to the extend that I’m almost certain by the end of this month, every school will be running full shifts at the end of the day.”
Meanwhile, the suspended Minister was on Monday denied access to President Bola Tinubu.
Edu, who arrived the presidential villa, Abuja shortly after her suspension was announced with the intention of meeting with President Tinubu, was prevented from doing so.
The suspended minister, had succeeded in scaling through all security checks up to the president’s office, she was however blocked from seeing him in his office.
Edu, who was seen working out of the president’s office with some of the president’s aides and security personnel and protocol officials escorting her out appeared sober.
Sources in the know disclosed that apart from being unable to have an audience with President Tinubu, her access tag to the villa was immediately withdrawn from her by the president’s security.
Edu who had arrived the presidential villa in an official car, was ferried out in a Toyota Hilux truck belonging to State House security.
It was not immediately clear whether she was later allowed to use her official vehicle out of the presidential villa premises.
