Tinubu Meets Uzodinma In Lagos, Details Of Meeting Emerge

President Bola Tinubu met with the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, in Lagos on Sunday, urging state governors to ensure Nigerians feel the impact of his administration’s reforms.

Naija News reports that Uzodinma, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said he was in Lagos to update the President on developments in the country during his working visit to Europe.

He described his discussion with Tinubu as “a very quality conversation,” saying the President was briefed on developments that occurred while he was away and the efforts of the governors to make Nigerians aware of his administration’s achievements and policies.

“We had a very quality conversation, and he is now aware of the things that happened while he was away and the efforts of the Governors of Progressive Forum in making sure that Nigerians are properly aware of the achievements of his government and the policies,” Uzodinma said.

He added that the meeting also focused on the administration’s campaign to highlight its reforms, which he said would commence almost immediately.

“Referred straight to our campaign outing, which will start almost immediately since he is now back. So it was a quality conversation, a quality meeting I had with Mr. President,” he said.

According to the governor, the focus of the reform agenda has now shifted from implementation to ensuring that Nigerians benefit directly from the policies.

“We have already taken cue from that broadcast, and that is exactly what we are doing. The reform policy has moved from implementation to ensuring that the people of Nigeria get the dividends of the reform policy itself,” he said.

Uzodinma cited the impact of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses as one area where the benefits of the reforms should be passed on to Nigerians.

He argued that transport operators should reflect the reduction in their operating costs in the fares paid by commuters.

“The advantage of having CNG buses sent to Nigerians through the various agents, that the savings made should not be as huge as it occurred now. The transporters and commuters should also be responsible in ensuring that since the cost of transportation has been reduced by the introduction of CNG, that they should now also reduce the fare they charge passengers. That way, it becomes a win-win situation,” he said.

The governor said state governments would not merely praise the reforms but would work to ensure that their impact reaches ordinary Nigerians.

“So we are not going to only sit here and sing the songs of reform. We are going to make sure that the benefits,” Uzodinma said.

He also used the financial position of Imo State to illustrate what he described as the positive impact of Tinubu’s policies on state governments.

Uzodinma recalled that when he became governor in 2021, the state struggled to meet its financial obligations after paying workers’ salaries.

“In 2021, I became the Governor without President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his reform policies. It was difficult at the end of every month after paying salaries. That is, if we managed to pay salaries, to have money to run the state,” he said.

He said the situation had changed, with the state now able to pay salaries while also funding development projects.

“Today, we pay salaries as we do and we have money to do all the achievements that we have recorded in the state. It is not only in my state. Every other state. Most of our Governors are very active, with a lot of projects here and there,” Uzodinma added.

The Imo governor expressed appreciation to Tinubu for his reform policies, saying governors had been given a fresh responsibility to ensure the people ultimately feel the impact.

“We are grateful to Mr. President and his reform policies. And we are charged again to ensure the real benefits, that the real beneficiaries of the reform policy are the people. That the masses will feel the impact. That these policies, the dividends, should be impactful,” he said.