By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Imo State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the Governor Hope Uzodimma administration for spending a whopping N2.1 billion on a Muslim pilgrimage and to host a lavish party in celebration of the airlifting of pilgrims, at a time when the state is grappling with worsening insecurity, killings and deepening poverty.

The party, while condemning the waste resources, called for the immediate resignation of the governor for what it described as gross incompetence, saying his action is an endorsement of recent arson, kidnapping and killings in the state.

A statement issued on Sunday by the state publicity Secretary, Mr Lancelot Obiaku, PDP stated that it is not opposed to religious inclusion, but said there was no justification for the government to squander as much as N2.1 billion of taxpayers? money on such a programme for 315 individuals, let alone organize an extravagant party and host the Vice President merely for the airlifting of the pilgrims going for Hajj operation.

The party said the more worrying is that the event took place just a day after armed assailants laid siege to the road between Umuna and Okigwe in Onuimo LGA, killing at least 20 people, kidnapping others, and setting over 22 vehicles, including trucks, ablaze, a tragedy the Governor has not flinched at.

?The party views this wasteful and insensitive action as a tacit endorsement of the recurrent arson, kidnappings, and killings plaguing the state. We, therefore, emphatically call for the resignation of Governor Hope Uzodimma over his gross incompetence.

?Before the Friday jamboree, at least 26 travellers were abducted and one killed in Ngor Okpala by suspected Fulani terrorists. These incidents, alongside daily reports of killings, kidnappings, and organ harvesting, have cast a pall over the state, leaving communities gripped by fear and uncertainty.

?These atrocities, masterminded in most cases by suspected Fulani bandits, cannot go on, and the Government?s response is to roll out the red carpet to celebrate Muslim pilgrims.

?Further, Imo the State is predominantly Christian, and while the Governor has the right to support religious diversity, such gestures should be modest and without fanfare.

?As a concerned political party, we are dismayed, though not surprised, that the Governor?s response to this dire security situation has ranged from deafening silence to organising frivolous ceremonies and embarking on costly nationwide tours. These actions reflect the insensitivity and irresponsibility that have characterised his administration since its inception in 2020.

?The funds spent on the pilgrimage and associated festivities could have been used to repair the many impassable roads across the state, clear the backlog of pensions and gratuities, or even build a technology hub to empower our teeming youth. While other governors are commissioning meaningful projects, Governor Uzodimma is investing in fruitless ventures.

?We completely condemned the fact that Governor Uzodimma often acts as though he is not an Imolite, consistently reluctant to offer leadership or express empathy over the harrowing challenges of insecurity, poverty, and lack of basic amenities confronting the people of Imo State.

?The menace of suspected Fulani terrorists in Ngor Okpala should ordinarily have spurred the Governor into swift action, as the bloodthirsty criminals have turned the area into their stronghold.

?This adds to the grim narratives emerging from Okigwe, Orsu, Njaba, Onuimo, Oru West, and Orlu LGAs, where criminal elements have taken control of communities and continue to unleash terror on innocent citizens.

?Imo cannot continue to endure an incompetent governor and a detached government that shows no concern for the plight of its citizens. The Imo PDP therefore calls on Ndi Imo to unite in holding this administration fully accountable during this critical period in our state?s history.?

Efforts made to reach the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Chairman, Dr Macdonald Ebere, for reaction were unsuccessful as he was unable to pick nor reply text message sent to him.

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