Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has hinted at the qualities he expects in his successor while emphasizing that he still has three years left in office unless he is poisoned.
Speaking on Tuesday during a meeting with political leaders from Imo East Senatorial District under the Owerri Harmony Project at the Government House in Owerri, Uzodinma urged against overheating the political space, stressing the need for peace during his tenure.
He stated that while he could not solve all of Imo State’s problems, his successor should be competent, courageous, and capable of handling challenges.
Uzodinma stated, “I will not solve all the problems in Imo. I will do the ones I can do but the man coming after me should be able to do some. We will support merit. We must look for merit because we need a man who is courageous.
“You saw the insecurity that greeted my emergence. You see, by the grace of God, we were able to survive it, so what we need is a well-focused, bold, courageous man.
“That is My prayer for the kind of person who will be my successor. The person who may not be a troublemaker but must fight if a fight is necessary.”
“Very soon, external forces will approach you, tell you that you are the best candidate for governor, and even offer incentives.
“But after the elections, they will abandon you. We must differentiate between personal desires and collective interests.
“I am not discussing politics now because I still have three years in office unless, of course, you want to poison me here! Let us first create awareness, consult, reconcile, and unite. Politics should be pursued with love and understanding, not confrontation,” the governor added.
