Uzodimma Blasts Tinubu’s Critics over Relocation of CBN, FAAN Depts to Lagos

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, has deplored the verbal attacks on President Bola Tinubu over the relocation to Lagos from Abuja, some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

He said the criticisms against the president were either borne out of political mischief or ignorance since that action did not amount to moving the nation’s capital back to Lagos.

Uzodinma, who spoke as a guest of Channels Television, urged Nigerians to focus on the economic benefit of the exercise as it was meant to save cost and engender efficient productivity.

He dismissed the claims of some Northerners that President Tinubu was planning to move the capital of Nigeria back to Lagos, saying such insinuations were totally unfounded, as the president lacked the powers to unilaterally effect such a fundamental change

“It has been made clear that those departments need to be close to the banks CBN is supervising, which are in Lagos. We also know that Lagos is the hub of the aviation industry. So, I don’t see anything wrong with what the President has done.”

He noted that as a former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, he was aware of the huge resources expended in shuttling between Abuja and Lagos for the routine supervision talkless of some staff, who did that on a daily basis.

He, however, commended some Northern personalities and groups, including the Northern Senators Forum and the Emir of Kano for supporting the planned relocation of those departments.

Describing the exercise as purely administrative, Uzodinma accused the opposition of blowing it out of proportion to score cheap political points.

He described President Tinubu as a first class patriot and nationalist, who would never promote any policy to endanger the unity of Nigeria, and urged Nigerians to support the programmes and policies of the president.

On his plan for Imo State during his second tenure, Uzodinma disclosed that his achievements in the second tenure would dwarf those of the first tenure.