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| SULLIVAN CHIME |
The Action Congress of Nigeria, human
rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), and civil society groups have slammed
the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for sending a delegation to visit Governor
Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, who is reportedly receiving treatment for
an undisclosed illness, in London.
According to them, the governors are helping Chime to perpetuate has hold on power by all means.
Chime has been away from the country for
over four months and with the nature of his illness shrouded in secrecy,
there have been questions about his fitness to govern the state.
Last week, after months of questions and
criticisms of the governor’s health and the manner in which his absence
was being handled, a group picture of Chime with governors Godswill
Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Gabriel Suswam of Benue, and Rotimi Amaechi of
Rivers states, said to have been taken in London, went viral on the
Internet and in newspapers.
However, in a statement in Lagos on
Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ahaji Lai Mohammed, the ACN
criticised the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for the “choreographed visit”,
saying it was designed to reinforce the line being peddled by Chime’s
supporters rather than keep the people of the state informed of the true
situation.
While the Chairman, Coalition Against
Corrupt Leaders, Mr. Debo Adeniran, accused the governors of hypocrisy,
Falana said it was a mere solidarity visit which failed to satisfy
constitutional provisions.
For his part, the Secretary, Joint Action
Force, Mr. Abiodun Aremu, who agreed that it was a solidarity visit,
said the governors went with the hope that the visit would be
reciprocated if such a fate befell them in the future.
According to the ACN, the poor handling
of Chime’s reported illness fits into the growing pattern of shrouding
the health problems of elected officials in secrecy.
It said, “There is no doubt that that the
reason behind all the shenanigans is the desperation by public office
holders to hold on to power at all costs, even when it is clear that
their health has failed to such a level that they are better off
stepping down so they can attend to their health problems.”
The party explained that its main concern
was that the conspiracy of silence being perpetrated by the state
governors who were reported to have taken ill and abandoned their duty
posts, as well as their supporters especially the NGF, did not serve the
interest of the country’s democracy.
It added, ‘’In the case of Governor
Chime, how can a man who is purportedly on vacation disappear for over
135 days and the people who voted him into office are not expected to
ask questions?
“Does the constitution provide for such a
long ‘vacation’ without consequences? Is Governor Chime’s deputy, whom
he reportedly handed over to, given enough latitude to adequately
preside over the affairs of the state? If not, how has this affected
governance in the state?
“And to what extent have the people of the state been denied the dividends of democracy by this unnecessary controversy?”
According to Falana, the right thing to
do is for the House of Assembly of Enugu State – and other states where
governors have been absent – to constitute a five-man panel of medical
experts who will determine the governor’s fitness to continue to govern.
He said, “It is that panel that will
submit a report after examining the governors involved to determine
whether they are fit to remain in office. It is not (determined
following) a mere visit by non-qualified medical personnel. That does
not satisfy the provisions of the constitution.”
While calling on the governors to condemn
the situation in the state and call for the deputy governor to be sworn
in, Adeniran stressed that the secrecy surrounding the governor’s
health was being motivated by President Goodluck Jonathan, who had also
refused to disclose details about his wife’s health.
He said, “People should be able to
disclose their state of health, especially when they are at the helm of
affair in any political entity. The present President doesn’t also help
matters by the way he handles the condition of his wife’s health.”
Where the House of Assembly fails to do
the right thing, Aremu said it was up to the people “to rise in unison
and demand for a leadership that can serve them”.
The ACN, which also accused the governors
of frittering away taxpayers’ money on the trip to London and creating
more controversy by releasing a picture instead of providing needed
details about Chime’s condition, urged public office-holders to be more
open about their illness and, if necessary, cede full power to those
constitutionally empowered to take over.
“It is time we stopped this practice that
only serves the purpose of those who are hell bent on clinging to
power, not considering the interest of the people who voted them into
office,’’ it said.
PUNCH
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