Uduaghan justifies demolition of illegal structures

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has described urban renewal as one of the greatest challenges facing governors in Nigeria.
The governor stated this at the weekend when he paid a courtesy visit on the Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, shortly after attending a grand reception organized by the South West Peoples Democratic Party in honour of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
According to Uduaghan, serving governors in the country face urban renewal as one of their greatest challenges, noting that doing it right requires a lot of boldness.
He said: “One of the challenges facing any governor in Nigeria is urban renewal and it requires some level of boldness to achieve.”
The governor noted that carrying out urban renewal involves stepping on peoples’ toes as their houses and sources of livelihood may be destroyed.
He stated that such would be carried out in the overall interest of the people and the state, adding: “Even when some people are not happy, everybody will be happy at the end because we are working for the generality of the people and the interest of the state.”
Uduaghan reiterated that the government and people of Delta State are looking at an economy beyond oil and as such, other sectors of the economy are being developed to ensure that they are viable.
He also used the occasion to reiterate that governors do not work along political party lines, stating that once elections were over, issue of political affiliations are no longer considered because the governor has a responsibility to work in the interest of everybody, including those who voted and did not vote during election.
Other governors who joined Uduaghan during the courtesy call included his counterpart in Akwa Ibom, Obong Godswill Akpabio; and Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
Amosun, who won his election on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, stated that the issue of political party lines should end with the election, stating that every Nigerian should think about the unity and progress of the country and not political party.
He thanked Uduaghan and the other governors for identifying with him.