WHY AGWA PEOPLE SHOULD STAND WITH UZODIMMA AND TINUBU

WHY AGWA PEOPLE SHOULD STAND WITH UZODIMMA AND TINUBU – UGHALAA

● SAYS AGWA PEOPLE HAVE NO REASON TO BE IN OPPOSITION

● GOVERNOR UZODIMMA IS ADDRESSING LOCAL CONCERNS

A delegation of women from Umumbishike family, Okwuoha, Mgbala Agwa Autonomous Community, on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, paid a courtesy visit to their son, Hon. Sir Collins Ughalaa, Special Adviser to the Governor of Imo State on Public Orientation.

Led by the oldest woman in the family, Mrs. Cordelia Ozoemena, the women came to express appreciation for what they described as Ughalaa’s unwavering support for the community and to reaffirm their loyalty to Governor Hope Uzodimma and the APC-led Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Speaker after speaker thanked Governor Uzodimma for appointing Ughalaa twice as Special Adviser, describing the gesture as historic for Mgbala Agwa Autonomous Community and the entire Mgbala/Uba Ward. They also expressed gratitude to Rt. Hon. Goodluck Opiah, Imo State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, for his mentorship and fatherly role in Ughalaa’s political journey.

The spokesperson of the delegation, Mrs. Vicky Ozoemena, described Ughalaa as “a worthy son, dependable leader, honest man, philanthropist, unifier and peace builder.” She disclosed that the women are planning a civic reception in his honour to celebrate his peace-building efforts, open-door policy, and support for their children’s education, including facilitating local and foreign scholarships as well as employment opportunities.

She noted that the women were particularly touched by his generosity during the last Christmas season when he shared wrappers, rice, and cash gifts, and personally visited many families in the community. According to her, the women – both at home and in the diaspora – remain firmly behind him and Governor Uzodimma.

Mrs. Cordelia Ozoemena, the oldest woman and leader of the delegation, said she had watched Ughalaa grow into a responsible, humble, compassionate, and forgiving leader. She praised him for assisting women with hospital bills, financial support, and helping their children secure better opportunities. She pledged that the women would not only vote for his preferred candidates but would also mobilize other women in support of his political aspirations.

Chairman of Okwuoha Union, Dr. Harbert Nwaoha, who accompanied the delegation, affirmed that the women spoke for the community and announced that the men of Okwuoha would soon pay a similar courtesy visit.

The Chairman of the neighbourhood association, Chief Sir Johnbosco Uhie, and his wife, Lady Kate Uhie, received the delegation with the host. Lady Kate described Ughalaa and his family as kind and accommodating neighbours who carry everyone along without discrimination. Chief Uhie corroborated the women’s testimonies and urged them to sustain their support for their son and the government, while advising youths to shun crime and violence, stressing that insecurity drives development away.

Responding, Ughalaa thanked the women for their love and solidarity, assuring them that he would continue to use every opportunity available to improve their lives. He redirected the bulk of the appreciation to Governor Uzodimma for granting him the platform to serve and urged continued gratitude to Goodluck Opiah for his mentorship.

He maintained that Agwa people have no reason to be in opposition, arguing that it is wiser to support a performing government.

Speaking in a mix of Igbo and English, Ughalaa defended President Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy. He explained that subsidy disproportionately benefited the wealthy, smugglers, and middlemen rather than ordinary farmers and traders. Using a bottled water analogy, he likened subsidy to a government paying the difference to make an overpriced product affordable, only to discover that the bulk of the benefit goes to a privileged few. Redirecting those funds, he said, allows investment in roads, schools, healthcare, and electricity.

Ughalaa recalled that past administrations, including those of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan, had acknowledged the unsustainability of subsidy but struggled with implementation. According to him, “Many contemplated; Tinubu acted.”

He acknowledged the initial hardship following subsidy removal but said increased federal allocations to states have improved fiscal capacity. In Imo State, he noted, Governor Uzodimma has leveraged improved revenues to invest in infrastructure and power, citing the Independent Power Project in Egbema – which he said is very close to Agwa – as a strategic intervention to boost industrial growth.

On security, Ughalaa said Agwa people owe Governor Uzodimma gratitude for restoring peace after years of insecurity that claimed lives and destroyed property. He attributed the improved security situation to enhanced funding, intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and the establishment of local vigilante structures. He pointed to the peaceful 2025 yuletide season and the return of farmers, especially women, to their farms as evidence that stability has returned.

He also highlighted ongoing and planned road projects linking Agwa, including the Okwu-Agwa Road, Amakohiaubi-Agwa Road, and the proposed Ejemekwuru-Agwa-Obokofia Road, as proof that rural communities are receiving attention alongside urban renewal efforts.

Ughalaa concluded by urging the women to prepare ahead of the 2027 general elections by renewing their voter cards or registering for new ones, emphasizing that sustained support for performing leadership is key to consolidating development gains.