Uzodinma knows the position he’s occupying is illegal – Ihedioha

The immediate past governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha has claimed that Senator Hope Uzodinma remained convinced that his emergence as the state’s new governor was founded on clear illegitimacy.

He said Governor Uzodinma was now engaging in lying, by making unfounded claims, to interest his very few supporters in the state.

The new Imo State governor had in Abuja last Friday spoke to State House correspondents on matters relating to the Supreme Court judgment.

He also made claims of paying outstanding salaries owed workers in the state, restoration of pipe borne water and electricity in the state.

But Ihedioha debunked his claim in a statement by his spokesman, Chibuike Onyeukwu at the weekend.

The former governor said that Uzodinma was only trying to gain legitimacy by falsehood.

“Firstly, we bear no grudge over his statement that the Supreme Court cannot review its January 14, 2020 judgment.

“That is the extent he knows, in order to sustain the illegitimacy of his government. Truth remains that he is quite convinced that his position is founded on clear illegitimacy. Hence, he is not expected to say anything different from what he feels will interest his very few supporters.

“Uzodinma by claiming that time for election petition has elapsed was playing to the gallery. He engaged in a failed ambush of the Supreme Court. The court knows that Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has a very good case as shown in all the glaring facts of the matter and so does not require his lame opinion.

“On the claim that he paid all outstanding salaries of Imo workers, the statement maintained that it is on record that Ihedioha restored the salaries of the entire workers in the service from 70 per cent to 100 per cent as well as pensions and they were paid as and when due to Imo workers until the Supreme Court judgment.

“Senator Uzodimma also claimed that no governor had visited State Secretariat, Owerri. This is the height of mockery of the collective workforce in the state. It is well known that Rt. Hon. Ihedioha visited state secretariat on the 2nd of July, 2019. During that visit, he addressed very happy and ethusiastic workers who genuinely threw their support behind his administration.

“Uzodinma’s claim that he restored water and electricity supply to the secretariat is another barefaced falsehood.

“It is on record that the Rebuild Imo Administration ensured that electricity as well as pipe borne water were restored after 8 years at the Secretariat on the 13th of September, 2019, following the express directive by Ihedioha to the Ministry of Public Utilities and the Imo State Power and Rural Electrification Agency – I-POREA, one of the agencies created by Ihedioha administration.

“The reactivation and reticulation of water in the state was later achieved, leading to clean pipe-borne water running again in parts of Owerri city for the first time since 2011. Imo people can testify to these facts,” the statement read in part.