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Professional and business bodies in Imo State have backed the re-election bid of Governor Hope Uzodimma, stressing that it was the only way to guarantee peace, stability, Federal Government’s support, and sustain human, capital and infrastructural development in the state.
The groups under the aegis of the Forum of Professionals and Businessmen in Imo State (FPBI), comprises professionals, businessmen, manufacturers and employers of labour with network of membership across the state.
A statement by the group’s lead coordinator, Emeka Mgbudem, after an expanded consultative meeting in Owerri, yesterday, confirmed that the body had reached an “irreversible consensus” to support Governor Uzodimma.
Urging other candidates to set aside their ego and support Uzodimma to move the state to the next level, he said an exhaustive and unbiased examination of the credentials of all candidates for the November 11 governorship election has indicated that Governor Uzodimma is best positioned, with his level of experience, public affability and political connection to strategically engage at the state, national and international platforms to stabilize and further develop the state.
He explained that the irreversible consensus was a non-partisan decision that cuts across sectional, religious, professional and political party affiliation lines. He added that the forum had already activated mobilization templates that would pull massive votes for the Governor across all the 305 wards in the state.
According to the Forum, “after an exhaustive review, the body of professionals, businessmen, manufacturers and employers of labour in Imo State has come to an informed conclusion that among the candidates for the November 11 governorship election, Governor Uzodimma is best positioned, as the leading mainstream political figure from the South East, with strong federal connections to strategically engage and access federal government’s benefits to Imo State and the entire South East region.
“Our analysis further revealed that Governor Uzodimma is the candidate that has a firm grip of the intricacies of power, and the rallying personality for the people of Imo State, and the South East region in the quest for peace, political stability, infrastructural and economic development across all critical sectors.”
The Forum further stated that its review indicated that Governor Uzodimma is the candidate with the desired public affability, friendliness, accessibility, humaneness and mass appeal, which cuts across various population segments in the state, to achieve sustainable peace, unity and development in the state.
On security, the Forum said its findings revealed that the security challenges in the state were engineered, fueled and sustained by certain unpatriotic political interests, whose intents and desires were to destabilize the state, as a way of drawing political capital for their selfish gains.
The Forum urged the politicians fueling insecurity in the state to retrace their steps, saying, “But for the humane and mature disposition of Governor Uzodimma in deft handling of security intervention, the situation would have been worse in the state.
“If such individuals truly meant well for the state, they could have channeled the hundreds of millions of Naira being used to fuel the crisis, incite people and fund media campaigns against Uzodimma, to better development programs.”
The group also commended the Imo Governor for initiating and hosting the recent South East Economy and Security Summit, which it said had started yielding dividends in the region.
The Forum also applauded the governor for his massive human capital, citizen empowerment and infrastructural development in critical sectors across the state, including road infrastructure, agriculture, housing, urban and rural development, electricity, and healthcare, among others, despite the prevailing security challenges in the state.
The body insisted that the only way to guarantee sustained stability, peace and economic development was by re-electing Governor Uzodimma to consolidate on the gains already made in the general interest of the state.
It, therefore, urged other candidates to show patriotism by, either stepping aside for Governor Uzodimma, or focusing on issues instead of resorting to unproductive, divisive and inciting tendencies, which are inimical to the progress of the state.
