Chime, who has been away from the country since September 19, reportedly returned last weekend only to be flown back hours after to an undisclosed country on Monday
But Government House sources said the governor was in town but yet to return to work from his accumulated leave.
Chime’s last official function was on September 19, when he attended the Council of State meeting in Abuja.
He reportedly transmitted a letter to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Eugene Odo, before leaving the country, thereby clearing Deputy Governor Sunday Onyebuchi to become acting governor.
But the letter was not read on the floor of the House of Assembly.
Although no reason was given for his absence, there were speculations that he was hospitalised in an Asian country for an undisclosed ailment.
No official of the government was willing to discuss the governor’s state of health. Officials only told our reporter that the governor still has up till early December to return from his accumulated leave.
But sources claim that the governor was rushed back following complications from the surgery he underwent abroad.
Chime’s absence is the most discussed issue in Enugu State as government activities are at a low ebb because the acting governor is believed to have an approval limit that is not more than N500,000.
Chief Press sSecretary to the Governor Mr. Chukwudi Achife, said a statement would be issued. The statement had not come last night.
Chime was born in 1953 in Udi. He was the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice under his predecessor Chimaroke Nnamani’s administration before being elected the governor in 2007. He was reelected last year.
He attended College of Immaculate Conception, Enugu (1971-78), graduated in Law from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1980 and attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos (1980-81).
He ran a private legal practice in Enugu between 1981 and 1998. Chime was Secretary of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), 1992-94.
SOURCE: 19 November 2012.
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