Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State reportedly paid for all the hotel rooms in the state ahead of the November 11, 2023 Imo governorship election.
This was contained in a letter to the Chief Executive Officers of the hotels in the state, through the state Commissioner for Tourism, Jerry Egemba.
It was stated that the payment would be from November 4 to November 11 2023, within the period for the governorship election.
According to the letter, to the hotel owners dated November 25 stated: “Request for reservation of all your hotel rooms from November 4 to November 11, 2023, I wish to refer to the above subject and inform you that the Ministry of Tourism intends to rent and occupy all the rooms in your hotel no matter the size and classification from Saturday, November 4 to Saturday, November 11, 2023, at your usual cost per room for full occupation.
”I therefore request you to submit to my office before 12 noon, tomorrow Thursday, October 26, 2023, details of your accommodation bills for all the rooms covering the period for settlement.”
Further confirming the moves by the government, the 2023 campaign Deputy Director, Electronic/New Media, Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, said: “Indeed, the said circulating document rightly emanated from the honorable commissioner for ministry of tourism, Hon. Jerry Egbule Egemba to the hotel managers and owners.
“As security reports have indicated the Influx of thugs and miscreants into the state for election, the security agencies in partnership with the state government in a measure To curtail their nuisance and ensure that the integrity of the next week’s Saturday governorship election is not compromised through violence castrated by thugs as the continued influx of thugs into the state could threaten the peace of the election.”
