Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo says President Muhammadu Buhari is the next powerful person after God in Nigeria.

In a clip seen by Peoples Gazette on Monday, the governor said Mr Buhari possessed the power to decide which region should get what, suggesting the South-East is sidelined for its refusal to cooperate with Mr Buhari’s regime.

Mr Uzodimma said, “After God in Nigeria, the next person is Buhari. He has the power to dictate where there should be light or not, and it happens. Why have we decided that there shouldn’t be light in our place while others have light?” 

“He will stay there until his eight years’ tenure is over. He will develop his place and help his people and leave while we remain here crying.

“So, let’s stop wasting time and start talking in the same tone with others. There is nothing like someone being with the ruling party.” 

Condemning the continued attacks on South-East states, Mr Uzodimma further noted, “You can be at Aso Rock, and somebody will be inside the bush at Okwuodo throwing stone. What is the business of the person in Aso Rock with the stone you’re throwing from Okwuodo? 

“The stone thrown from Okwuodo has no effect on the person in Aso rock. The person in Aso Rock will stay there, help his people and go his way.” 

The president has consistently excluded the Igbo, one of Nigeria’s three major ethnic groups, from his government, apparently in line with his comments shortly after being assuming office in 2015 that they will not benefit much from his government because they did not vote for him.

Mr Buhari had threatened to deal with Igbo-dominated South-East in a manner similar to the violence visited upon the region’s civilians by him and other military officers who fought on the Nigerian side during the Civil War.