A civic group, The Mazi Organisation (TMO), has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to cancel his planned visit to Imo State scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, citing what it described as a lack of genuine developmental projects in the state under Governor Hope Uzodimma.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday by its spokesperson, Cajetan Duke, the group accused Governor Uzodimma of focusing more on federal road projects eligible for refunds from the federal government, while neglecting state and local roads that directly affect the lives of Imo residents.
“We call on President Tinubu to shelve his planned trip to Imo,” the statement said. “There is nothing meaningful to commission. The governor’s priority has been to construct federal roads for refunds from Abuja, while our local roads resemble war zones.”
The group pointed to the much-publicized Assumpta Flyover as an example of the state’s poor track record in infrastructure development. Describing the flyover as a “quarter-kilometer triumph that took six years to build,” TMO mocked the fanfare surrounding the project, comparing Imo’s slow progress to faster achievements in neighbouring states.
“While Rivers and Ebonyi states were mass-producing flyovers like sachet water, in Uzodimma’s Imo, one flyover is celebrated like it’s a national monument,” the group said.
TMO also criticised the governor’s leadership style, calling him an “absentee landlord” who has allegedly failed to visit all 27 local government areas of the state since assuming office nearly six years ago.
“Perhaps he fears that venturing into the villages would expose him to the potholes, insecurity, and despair that his government pretends do not exist. After all, red carpets are smoother than rural roads,” the statement added.
The group alleged that despite huge federal allocations, many local government areas in Imo have nothing to show in terms of meaningful development or governance. It also took a swipe at the state government’s handling of local government autonomy, accusing the governor of ignoring Supreme Court rulings and denying grassroots governance a voice.
“Where has the torrent of federal allocations gone?” the group asked. “Not a single tangible project has sprung up in our LGAs. But in this government, accountability is a foreign language.”
While acknowledging the symbolic importance of a presidential visit, the group urged President Tinubu to look beyond ceremonial activities and staged events.
“If you must visit, enjoy the ceremonies, cut the ribbons—but please take a detour,” the group said. “Drive down Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Drive, Owerri-Port Harcourt Road, or Hospital Road. There you’ll see the real Imo: a state abandoned to craters, insecurity, and suffering.”
TMO further accused Governor Uzodimma of governing with the mindset of a contractor, more focused on reimbursements from the federal government than on service delivery to the people.
“We congratulate the governor for proving that in Imo, development is not about serving the people, but about serving the refund pipeline. He is less a governor, more a contractor to the Federal Government,” the statement said.
The group also cautioned against being swayed by appearances, urging Tinubu to listen to the people and not the polished presentations of government officials.
“Ignore the painted walls and staged parades. Listen instead to the heartbeat of the people, muffled under dust, mud, and neglect,” TMO added.
Governor Hope Uzodimma, who has led Imo State since January 2020, has often been criticised by opposition figures and civil society groups over the state of infrastructure, security, and governance. However, his administration maintains that it has made progress in road construction, health, education, and investment promotion.
President Tinubu’s planned visit to Imo is believed to be part of his ongoing tour of states for project commissioning and political engagements.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in Owerri, the state capital, in preparation for the president’s visit.
