Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo, says the sit-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) against the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari was only on social media platforms.
Buhari, on Thursday, visited Imo state to commission some projects executed by the Uzodimma administration.
Before the visit of the president, IPOB had declared a sit-at-home in the state, and said Buhari is not welcome in Imo.
Speaking on the development in an interview on Channels Television, Uzodimma said residents of the state were excited about the president’s visit, and that they came out to welcome him.
The Imo governor said south-east leaders have also promised to support the policies of the Buhari administration, adding that the president has shown sufficient interest in the yearnings of the Igbo people.
“What is important to me is that Mr President visited and you could see the excitement of the entire Igbo nation. The leadership received Mr President, commended Mr President, pledged to support Mr President’s government and policies,” he said.
“When we say this, we mean it. We meant every inch of the word — that we are supporting the president; we are supporting his administration, and we are supporting his policies, because Mr President has shown sufficient interest in terms of pragmatic approach in listening and being sensitive to the yearnings of Imolites and Igbo people in general.
We meant it. Our people came. You could see that with the sit-at-home order, which is only a social media sit-at-home order. The sit-at-home order is not in Imo state, because we never issued any sit-at-home order.
“Imo people are excited. lmo people are happy that the president of the federal republic of Nigeria, one united Nigeria with common destiny, visited Imo, commissioned projects, spoke to his people and we are happy.
“And he left happy. There was no security breach, no incident of disloyalty. There was no violence.”
