Absentee gov, Chime, returns after 140 days

FEBRUARY 8, 2013 BY OLUSOLA FABIYI AND OZIOMA UBABUKOH 

Enugu State Governor, Mr Sullivan Chime
| credits: macksonokotie.blogspot.com

The Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime, returned to Nigeria on Thursday after 140 days sojourn abroad where he reportedly attended to his failing health.

The governor was said to have arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, from London in the early hours of the day.

Chime left the shores of the country since September 19, 2012, ostensibly on holiday but his prolonged stay abroad had attracted public angst even as many believed the governor’s health had failed. The rumour of his death indeed circulated across the country sometime ago.

There were however, conflicting reports about his whereabouts in the Federal Capital Territory.

While some people said he was at the Enugu State Governor’s Lodge, others said he was at a private residence in Asokoro.

Others also said he was at the Anambra Governor’s Lodge where he was touted to be ready to address a press conference.

However, when our correspondent visited all these addresses, Chime could not be found.

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.”

SOURCE: 8 February 2013, The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper