The Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, has returned to Nigeria after spending more than four months abroad.
The governor had been reportedly admitted in a hospital in London for an ailment that has generated a lot of discussions within and outside Enugu State.
He was recently visited by his colleagues, from Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Benue State, Rotimi Amaechi, Godswill Akpabio and Gabriel Suswam. Akpabio announced on their arrival that Chime should be in the country by Sunday.
The commissioner who made efforts to convince Nigerians during the interview, further defended the governor’s disappearance from the country, saying the Nigerian constitution did not specify the number of days a governor could spend on vacation.
“There’s no reason to hide why he was away, he went on leave, he was on vacation and the constitution does not state what time the governor must spend.
“You can use your vacation to do some other things. During his vacation, he had the advantage and opportunity to do some other things he deemed necessary,” the commissioner stressed.
He said the governor’s sudden appearance in the country had put paid to the falsehood being spread by the opposition in the state.
Ugwoke also denied that the state was paralysed because of the absence of Governor Chime. According to him, the governor had handed over to his deputy, Sunday Onyebuchi, who had been acting in that capacity awarding contracts and keeping the state running.
He said the state Executive Council held six meetings since the governor’s absence against the popular belief that the acting governor was not in charge.
“People are entitled to their views concerning how the health status of the governor was handled.
“The good news is that the governor is back and we should refuse to go back to yesterday.
“He is in Nigeria. He landed in Abuja and we are expecting him in Enugu,” he said.
The Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Issa Aremu, who was in the studio when the commissioner announced the governor’s arrival, took out time to slam the state government for shielding the health status of the governor, who was believed to be treating cancer of the thyroid in a London hospital.
An Enugu-based lawyer, Mr. Ray Nnaji, said, “I think he is back. A lady who sat on the same aircraft with him confirmed this to the leader of Save Enugu Group, Maxi Okwu.”
“The General Editor of Tell magazine, Adekunbi Ero, equally told me that someone close to him also boarded the same plane, British Airways, that brought Chime into the country today (Thursday),” Nnaji told our correspondent in Enugu.
Our correspondent sought out the woman who spoke to Okwu and she said, “I boarded the same flight with the Enugu State Governor. I sat close to him and even saw him greeting and chatting with a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain from Imo State.”
“He was looking very frail and emaciated. As soon as we landed at the airport, he even walked to his car unaided, but there was a formidable security team waiting for him and he left with them.”
At the Enugu Governor’s Lodge, renovation works were ongoing, but some of the workers were not at the site but a security guard at the gate said he was not aware of the arrival of the governor.
Another man, who also came briefly to the lodge, directed our correspondent to the Anambra Governor’s Lodge.
However, a source close to the governor told our correspondent that the governor was at a private residence within Asokoro and that he would be going to Enugu in a chartered flight on Friday (today).
Also, a protocol officer at the Government House in Enugu confided in our correspondent that Chime would arrive in the state today.
“If there are no hitches, we would leave Abuja by 2am tomorrow (Friday) and get to Enugu before or by about 7a m. We are taking this step because we do not want people to besiege the airport or wait on the streets, all because they want to see the governor.
“By the time he gets into town, he would definitely make changes in his cabinet as he has been so unhappy with the way things were done in his absence. He is so bitter that Enugu never worked while he was away.”
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party said it received the news of the return of Chime to the country with great joy.
The party said in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, that the party was happy that the governor returned in good health.
The statement read, “We sincerely thank all the functionaries of the Enugu State Government and the state PDP officers for their loyalty and commitment to the ideals of the Party and the PDP Chime-led administration.
“Furthermore, we thank the good people of Enugu State and indeed all Nigerians whose prayers ensured the successful return of the governor.
“We dare say that the love shown to the governor by all and sundry during his period of absence is a clear indication that our people appreciate the good work of the governor.
“We are confident that the governor shall consolidate on the tremendous achievements of his administration now that he is back to work.”
Also, the Save Enugu Group that sprung up in the wake of Chime’s “disappearance” on Thursday reacted to the governor’s return.
The group in a statement jointly signed by its convener, Maxi Okwu; Secretary General of the Conference on Nigerian Political Parties, Willy Ezeugwu; and a former Commissioner for Information in Enugu State, Igbonekwu Ogazimora, said,“Chime, we learnt, arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, this morning and was taken to the city. We note this coming exactly one month after we first sounded the alarm of prolonged and unexplained absence.
“We acclaim this as falling within desired responsive action of leaders in a democracy. If the information on the unstable and frail condition of the governor is reliable, he should avoid the pitfall of trying to combine full recovery with the stress of political power play.
“We wish to state that Chime did not deserve being hustled out of ‘gainful stay’ in good health institutions if the right things were done first and before questions arose. In that respect, we, as other good people of Enugu State stand to hold responsible the primitive liars in Government House.”
According to Aremu, no President of America goes on vacation outside
America, “but here, in our cetenary, we are still battling to know where
our governor is and you can see the commissioner trying to impress us
here.”He said many Nigerian leaders are travelling abroad while their counterparts in other countries are busy with development.
He described Nigeria as a miserable country.
“In 100 years, what have we learnt from even the colonialists who came here to turn Nigeria around?
“They built the railway from Lagos to Kano and years after, we are still trying to revive the moribund rail system,” he lamented. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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To God be the Glory. Our able Governor is back. work in Progress.
ReplyDeleteUgwoke,the commissional should mind his words. Why would a governor elected by the people to serve them will go on vacation 4months?
ReplyDeleteIf they say he went for health check up,that would be understandable as nobody is above that.
That's haw they rape and abuse their self because of appointment, without respect for the people.
Pls don't mind this Ugokwe or what does he call himself. That's how one aondoka said that the late yaradua cld rule from anywhere. people in positions that have aclaims of institutions shd learn not to insult the collective sensibilities of the people by making public statements to preserve their officies and appointments.
ReplyDelete