Uzodinma remains mum about those behind the ongoing orgy of violence in Imo State

GOVERNOR Hope Uzodinma has said he will not yet reveal those behind the ongoing violence and insecurity in Imo State because he wants to allow the security services to complete their investigations without any interruptions.

Of late, Imo State gas become a region wracked by insecurity as armed hoodlums regularly attack police stations and other government facilities. Last week, a military couple made up of a female lance corporal and a male warrant officer were murdered in cold blood while returning to Imo State for their traditional wedding.

Many have blamed the growing insecurity on the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the military wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob). Speaking in Lagos yesterday, Governor Uzodinma said: “If you watch the last quarterly stakeholders’ meeting held in Owerri where I was to name some of those suspected to be behind the insecurity in Imo State, in that meeting, I did say that the security agencies pleaded that because investigation is still going on, it will be too early for me to begin to name anybody.

“I explained that day  that I will allow them to complete their job. The last time I contacted them, they asked for two more weeks, so I do hope that in two weeks, the information will be ready and it will be made public to Nigerians.”

Speaking on the southeast producing the next Nigerian president, Governor Uzodinma called on the two big political parties to feature Igbo candidates to allow for equity, justice and fairness. He said: “I know that in the southeast today, we desire to produce the president of Nigeria but we will not do it alone.

"We need the other political zones and other political  parties to work with us. If  you recall, in 1999, after the annulment of June 12 election, it was the decision of the national political leadership of Nigeria that the southwest produce  the president.

“Part of what cooled the tension in the southwest was  allowing them to produce the president and then, there were two leading political parties. Both political parties worked internally to produce two presidential candidates that came from  the southwest.

"Now, the situation is repeating itself. There’s a national sympathy for the southeast to produce the president and what will make it work is for the two ruling political parties to produce candidates from the southeast."