Uzodimma blames disgruntled PDP for Imo security crisis

The Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has blamed the opposition politicians and disgruntled personalities for increasing insecurity across the Imo state and the country.

After a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Uzodimma told reporters that he alone cannot guarantee security in his troubled state.

He said other stakeholders, including monarchs; religious and political leaders must engage more with the people to restore peace in the state.

More so, he said the condemnation of the unwholesome activities of those destabilizing the country by the elite would have changed the narratives.

He, however, noted that those destroying public property must be ready to face the consequences.

Noting that he was in Villa to brief the President on developments in his state, the governor admitted that Nigeria was going through trying times.

“It is not only in Imo State, I didn’t limit it to Imo State. I am saying that cases of insecurity here and there in the country have not been helped by the posture of the opposition party and some aggrieved politicians, the reason being that at a time like this in Nigeria, anybody worth his onions as a leader should be able to speak out.

“How many of them are speaking out? How many of them are condemning what is going on? Rather, what you see are leaders fanning the embers of insecurity, blaming only the government. We must be tired of this blame thing by now and then contribute our own quota towards ensuring that national security is not threatened in the country.

“So, it is not something for politics. It’s something that if you are a former Senate President and you are a former speaker, or a former deputy senate president, or a former deputy speaker and things like this are happening in the country and you are not able to speak out and we’re not seeing you where you are engaging in addressing the young men and women in your area on the need for a united Nigeria and this is a country that has given you an opportunity to serve at that level one time or the other, then it is either overtly or covertly, you have a question to answer.

“At this point, we’re not dealing with feelings alone; we must tie feelings to national interests. It’s not about sentimental feelings, it’s about knowing that this is a federal government asset and you woke up willingly and deliberately go there to destroy, what you are trying to destroy is the sovereignty of the country and we shouldn’t encourage that.

“Whatever government has taken as a position…, I think there are two things; it’s either you respect the government and not destroy government assets, or you destroy government assets and face the consequences. Those are the two things.

“So, let us not pretend as if all is well, all is not well, leaders must rise to ensure that they work hand in hand with government to ensure their security in the country.

“Have you seen a situation where people will wake up and take buses to school and then load 200 students, you can imagine how many buses that will take 200 students and drive them away to somewhere and they will be asking for ransom, what type of society is that?

“This is not the society we used to know. We should all be worried and not only be worried, or to sit down and begin to blame government or blame, Mr. President, we should all get involved.