A pro-democracy association known as ‘Save Enugu Group’ has given the
acting governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi two weeks to make a
categorical explanation on the whereabouts and status of Governor
Sullivan Chime. The group, which has former commissioners and top
politicians from the state as members also requested the deputy governor
to constitute a delegation, which should include eminent personalities
from the state to pay a visit to the governor and report back to the
people of Enugu State.
The group suggested personalities like, Bishop Callistus Onaga,
Catholic Bishop of Enugu, Revd Hyde Onuaguluchi, Prof Bath Nnaji, Igwe
Paul Egbogu, Chief Mrs Grace Obayi, Chief Nduka Eya, Secretary General
Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo and Dr Louis Anya Chukwuma to be part of the
delegation. The letter, which was also copied the Speaker of the State
Assembly was signed by former commissioners, Mr Ray Nnaji and Igbonekwu
Ogazimorah, former presidential aspirant of the NSP, Chief Maxi Okwu,
National Secretary-General of the CNPP, Willy Ezeugwu, Ibuchukwu Ezike
and Victor Eneh.
The letter read: “Today makes it 110 days since our great governor
was last seen in public. It is in the public domain that Governor Chime
was last sighted in public on September 19, 2012. Since then, sightings
and near sightings of him have been reported, which all turned out to be
a hoax. “This has created a thriving mill of idle gossips, who
speculate on his whereabouts and state of health. Matters got to a head
December 15, 2012, when the national media was rent with the news of the
death of our governor.
“On some occasions, the Commissioner of Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke
had come out with an official statement that His Excellency was quietly
enjoying his holiday and accumulated leave or that he would be in
office shortly. These conflicting accounts merely served to exacerbate
rather than ameliorate the situation. “We are also told that at the time
of his disappearance from public view, His Excellency, as required by
section 190 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999
(as amended), duly handed over to the deputy governor.
“We must bring to your notice that the public is awash with accounts
of the inability of the acting governor to discharge his mandate under
the Constitution, as a cabal of unelected officers have rendered his
authority otiose. We, therefore, most humbly submit that this is a most
untidy state of affairs. “At this juncture, we make bold to ask: Can the
governor hand over and create an acting administration in perpetuity?
What is the duration of annual leave for the Governor? How many days
make up this ‘accumulated annual leave’? Could the Constitution and
government holiday regulations have given His Excellency a carte blanch
to take a break for over 100 days? We do not think so.
The question, which we would be most obliged if it is answered is:
Where is His Excellency our governor? “We are in no doubt that
comparatively speaking he has done well or that government is going on
‘peacefully’ or ‘smoothly’ as his supporters would chime; but the fact
of unreasonable absence from office, is suggestive of permanent
inability to discharge the functions of his office. In the alternative
we would argue that his disappearance for this extended period amounts
to grave misconduct.” But in a swift reaction, the Enugu State
Government dismissed the letter as a non-issue.
A statement signed by Chukwudi Achife, the Chief Press Secretary to
Governor Chime said that “though government did not intend to join
issues with those he described as habitual attention-seekers, it was
obvious that having realized that their media attacks had not achieved
their intended results, they have now chosen to issue baseless
statements as a group. “Government does not intend to join issues with
these habitual attention-seekers. This is, at best, the coming together
of men whose views on the incumbent government are well-known and always
predictable.
It is obvious that having realized, perhaps most painfully, that
their media attacks had not achieved their pre-determined goal, they
have now chosen to issue a statement as a group. “However, it is even
more laughable that in dabbling into issues beyond their purview, they
first mischievously leaked to the press a letter meant for His
Excellency, the Acting Governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi.
“We urge our people to ignore the hollow argument and baseless call
by the group, which merely expose the narrow mindedness of the
pay-masters because the people of Enugu State know the real men behind
the mask.”
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