Hope Uzodinma takes first action as governor, asks banks to freeze state accounts

Sen. Hope Uzodinma, governor-elect of Imo state, has asked banks to freeze the accounts of the state government.

The directive came hours after the supreme court sacked Emeka Ihedioha as governor, and declared Uzodinma as the duly elected governor of the state.

Cosmos Iwu, director-general of Uzodinma’s campaign, in a letter dated January 14 and addressed to regional heads of banks, said the governor-elect has instructed the banks to place a post-no-debit order on the state government’s accounts in their care.

“Following the Supreme Court judgment of 14 January 2020, I am directed by his excellency, Senator Hope Uzodinma, to take this as your authority/instruction to place a post no debit order on all accounts of the Imo state government maintained in your various institutions,” the letter read.

“You are by this letter directed to comply and await further instructions from the office of his excellency, the executive governor of Imo state. Thanks for your cooperation.”

TheCable could not reach Steve Osuji, media aide of Ihedioha, for comment on the matter.

Ihedioha, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was declared winner of the 2019 governorship election in Imo.

But Uzodinma, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenged the results. He had lost both at the election petition tribunal and at the appeal court.