The opposition in Imo State will continue to fail in their desperate bid to undermine the government of Dist. Senator Hope Uzodimma and by extension, that of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Following President Buhari’s visit to Imo State last Thursday, September 9, 2021, generally adjudged a huge success by men and women of good will, the miniscule opposition in Imo State have been looking for a way to discredit the visit and embarrass Mr. President.

But they have failed again.

In their desperation, they doctored and proceeded to post on social media platforms, a misleading video on President Buhari’s remarks during his Town Hall Meeting with highly respected Igbo leaders who were in audience at the exclusive meeting, in total disregard for the good intention of Mr. President’s remarks.

The opposition mischievously posted a lie that President Buhari told Governor Uzodimma: “I’ll be careful with your future invitations.”

President Buhari who spoke extempore had commenced his speech with humorous remarks about being pleasantly surprised by (and grateful for) how Governor Uzodimma was able to pull the galaxy of Igbo leaders to Owerri to receive and interface with him contrary to the “intention” of the visit.

This is President Buhari’s extempore remarks: “I am overwhelmed by this reception, overwhelmed in the sense that when I accepted the invitation by the Imo State Governor, who wants to justify investments the government has done to the people of Imo State, I thought I would see the bridges, the roads and a few renovations.

“He didn’t tell me he was going to get the whole Igbo leadership here. So in the future when he invites me, I’ll know what to do. But I think he has done what the military didn’t like. He has achieved surprise. He has surprised me beyond description.”

His humour was greeted by large applause.

In his concluding remarks at the same event, the President made reference to his earlier remarks on the “surprise” action pulled by the Governor.

President Buhari again humorously quipped: “Governor of Imo State, I cannot thank you enough. But in your future invitations I will know what to do. I will be careful with your future invitations. I am overwhelmed by the reception.”

The ending remarks attracted even bigger applause from the audience.

Because the opposition in Imo State are too bitter with hate to notice even the smallest of humours, nobody would have been surprised if they also lost their sense of understanding when President Buhari went humorous in his remarks.

Let me explain to them what Mr. President meant in the language they will understand if at all they would be ready to learn.

Pronto, President Buhari in appreciating Governor Uzodimma and the good people of Imo State for the superlative host would want to be as prepared as the Governor and the State next time he is visiting so as not to be “surprised” again.

Only those who do not mean well for Imo State will travel this lane that the opposition chose to travel to tweak Mr. President’s comment they know is absolute lie.

Governor Uzodimma has done what no Igbo Governor, dead or living has been able to do with a sitting President’s invitation.

I thought the opposition in Imo should be grateful for this rare feat, swallow their pride and commend him rather than destroying what is left of opposition politics. The earlier they realise that what they are doing is not about Governor Uzodimma the better for them.

•Oguwike Nwachuku is Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodimma.

Update news