Imo State Governor,Hope Uzodimma, has declared that the people of the state have already resolved to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

He attributed the decision to the impact of the Federal Government’s economic reforms, which he said had provided states with the resources needed to execute visible development projects.

Uzodimma made the declaration on Friday at the Government House, Owerri, during the close of the Presidential Media Tour of Projects in Imo State, organised by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA).

The tour, conducted in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team, showcased federal and state projects being implemented under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The governor said the media tour offered Nigerians an opportunity to assess government performance through completed and ongoing projects rather than political rhetoric.

According to him, the projects inspected across the state were made possible by reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, which significantly increased allocations to states.

“You have come to Imo not to campaign for our people. You have come to see what we have been able to achieve.

“Our people have already decided that they want President Bola Ahmed Tinubu back as president because without him and his policies and programmes, this environment we are enjoying today would have been very impossible to achieve,” Uzodimma said

The governor likened Nigeria’s current economic reforms to the biblical journey of the Israelites from Egypt, saying difficult decisions often attract resistance before yielding positive outcomes.

He said President Tinubu assumed office with a clear reform agenda and immediately embarked on policies designed to reposition the economy despite initial opposition.

Uzodimma argued that political campaigns should be judged by performance rather than rallies, insisting that development projects and improved public services remain the strongest campaign tools.

The governor disclosed that when he assumed office in January 2020, Imo State had little financial capacity after paying workers’ salaries.

According to him, the situation changed after the Federal Government’s reforms took effect in 2023. He said monthly allocations to the state rose substantially, enabling the government to invest in roads, healthcare, education, electricity and other infrastructure.

“I saw over N10.7 billion after FAAC. So when people were trying to oppose subsidy removal, I came out and said subsidy must be removed,” he noted.

Uzodimma also said the state’s internally generated revenue had increased from less than N400 million monthly in 2020 to almost N6 billion, while its debt profile had dropped from N287 billion to below N90 billion.

He added that improved road infrastructure had reduced travel time across the state from between two and three hours to less than 45 minutes, while the state now generates, transmits and distributes electricity within Owerri and Government House through its own power infrastructure.

The governor described Imo as “ready for business”, saying prudent deployment of public funds had improved the state’s financial position and accelerated development.

He also likened Tinubu’s leadership to that of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew.

“From 2023 to 2026 is just three years. I have seen another Lee Kuan Yew in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he declared.

Earlier, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, commended Uzodimma for the nationwide media tour, saying it had enabled journalists to independently verify projects being executed under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Dare said the team had already toured the North-West as well as Ebonyi, Enugu and Abia states before arriving in Imo, inspecting both federal and state projects across critical sectors.

He said the exercise demonstrated that government programmes were producing measurable results beyond debates on social media.

“We were able to show Nigerians that work is indeed being done,” he noted.

According to him, the team inspected projects in aviation, roads, transportation, healthcare, education, energy, commerce, urban renewal, environmental infrastructure and the digital economy.

While noting that the Imo Digital City stood out as one of the major projects visited, Dare said the broader tour reflected deliberate investments across sectors aimed at improving infrastructure, expanding opportunities and supporting economic growth under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He also praised the reconstruction of critical roads and bridges, saying communities that were once difficult to access could now be reached by road.

Dare thanked the governor for what he described as sustained investments in youth empowerment, security and public infrastructure, adding that the projects complemented the Federal Government’s development agenda.

He added that the performance of APC governors across the country, working alongside the Federal Government, was helping to translate national reforms into tangible benefits for citizens.

“Three and a half years down the road, President Bola Tinubu stands on solid ground of performance,” Dare said.

He emphasised that the administration had begun delivering both macroeconomic reforms and practical improvements in the lives of Nigerians, while urging continued support for the Renewed Hope Agenda.