Meets, Hugs Obasanjo At Uzodimma’s Inauguration
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has restated his administration is commitment to making education, healthcare, industrialisation and investment top priority, in pursuit of his vision of fostering a stable and prosperous country.
Tinubu said he was aware of the concerns of Nigerians, assuring that the challenges occasioned by very essential reforms were being addressed.
Speaking on Monday, January 15 at the second-term inauguration of Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, in Owerri, the President stated: “In the past 40 years, a few people were cornering our commonwealth and calling it subsidy, but I call it wasteful.
“Right now, we are all bearing and sharing that pain. But things are looking up. Things will get better for the good of all Nigerians. With me, there is hope.
“I assure you that there will be substantial development in education for your children; priority on industrialisation; healthcare will receive more allocation and attention. We will train more health workers.”
He commended Uzodimma for his stewardship in Imo State in his first term, describing him as the “real hope” of the state, adding: “It is a great honour for me to be here in Imo State. And to congratulate the people of Imo for being discerning and determined to vote into a second term, a very unique individual who resonates with a progressive agenda, Senator Hope Uzodimma.”
Tinubu expressed commitment to building a united and secure country, noting: “Before now, people were afraid of coming to Imo State, but today, Imo is safe and open for business. What we have learned from this experience is the importance of unity, cooperation and a focus on our internal security.”
The President charged the governor to work even harder for the people, stressing that hardwork is the reward for a re-election, saying: “I assure you that your hopes are renewed. Be assured of the support of the federal government to ensure rapid development of your state.”
Speaking after taking the oaths of office administered by the state Chief Judge, Justice Theresa Chukwuemeka-Chikeka, Uzodimma assured that his second tenure would be an uncommon tenure in the execution of policies.
“We have been able to lay a solid foundation for accelerated economic growth and development of our state. We also addressed the decay we met in the civil service, education and the health sectors.
“In addition, we addressed the lingering problem of unemployment through the variety of youth empowerment initiatives. We carried out a digital version of dealing with the unemployment market, which included the provision of digital and other portable skills, including artificial intelligence, to our teeming young men and women.”
While unveiling his priorities, Uzodimma said the next four years of his administration would focus on deepening the shared prosperity mantra through massive infrastructural expansion, even as he noted that his administration is anchored on a 10-year development plan that has the capacity to make the state self-sufficient.
At the occasion, Tinubu met and exchanged warm greetings and a hug with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the first time since last year’s presidential election, where the latter, despite the former’s visit to his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State, supported the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
Residents of the state defied the sit-at-home order in the Southeast to witness the ceremony.
Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) garnered 540,308 votes to defeated his closest rival, Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and LP’s Athan Achonu with , who scored 71, 503 votes and 64,081 votes, respectively.
