PUNCH Newspaper Set to SMUGGLE Gov Sullivan Chime Back to Enugu




"Ailing Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State may be "SMUGGLED" into the country on December 31, the SUNDAY PUNCH learnt on Friday…"

– BY OZIOMA UBABUKOH, PUNCH NEWSPAPER, Enugu govt moves to bring Chime back – December 30, 2012 by OZIOMA UBABUKOH
http://www.punchng.com/news/enugu-govt-moves-to-bring-chime-bac

———————-

My Fellow Nigerians,

Please first read the quote from PUNCH Newspaper cited above, then click on the link above to read the full story, or read the full story pasted below.

According to PUNCH Newspaper and its Enugu Correspondent Ozioma Ubabukoh, Gov Chime may be SMUGGLED back to the country on December 31. Smuggled? Folks, there is a lesson in the choice of words that PUNCH and Ozioma Ubabukoh have used in describing Gov Chime's alleged potential return. They use the word "SMUGGLED". But can one who is not under any legal constraint be SMUGGLED back to his own country? Is Gov Chime not a Nigerian? Why "smuggle"? Clearly the use of that word: "smuggle" in this context exposes PUNCH and Ubabukoh's PREJUDICE against Gov Chime of Enugu State. It puts into clearer context all that they have been writing and publishing about Gov Chime.

Was is not PUNCH and Ubabukoh that spread the lie that Gov Chime had died in India? Was it not this duo that spread the lie that Gov Chime had physically attended only 17 public events since 2007 when this was a most egregious lie? Has it not been this duo that is fabricating and quoting fictitious Chime aides?

PUNCH has thrown away objectivity, professionalism, truth, ethics, and fairness and has chosen to wage a campaign of calumny. lies and falsehoods against Gov Chime. While Ubabukoh may be compromised in this campaign for pecuniary interests, what about the professionalism of the PUNCH editor. How can he partake in, or allow this travesty to go on? Whoever the PUNCH editor is should re-assess his commitment to professionalism and truth. While the editor may sell more copies today with this type of sensationalism, he must also know that he is killing PUNCH slowly. I along with many Nigerians can no longer TRUST PUNCH. The serial lies have become overwhelming and unpardonable.

A word is enough for the wise.

Ambrose Agu

---------
READ THE FULL STORY

Enugu govt moves to bring Chime back
December 30, 2012 by OZIOMA UBABUKOH
PUNCH NEWSPAPER

Ailing Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State may be “smuggled” into the country on December 31, the SUNDAY PUNCH learnt on Friday.

Chime left the country on September 19 for medical treatment but the state government had continued to insist that he was only on vacation.

The six weeks leave of absence Chime applied for ended on November 2.

It was gathered that the state government muted the idea to bring Chime back in order to stop the state House of Assembly from initiating an impeachment process against him.

To make the journey back to Nigeria easy and without any discomfort for the governor who, had reportedly been bedridden since September 20, 2012, a reliable source at the Enugu State Government House stated that Chime was moved from an undisclosed hospital in New Delhi, India to another in London on Wednesday.

Pleading anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, the source said, “Chime, from what his wife said, is receiving treatment for leukaemia (cancer of the blood) and other diseases. There are plans to bring him home this year before the lawmakers make any move.”

Meanwhile, members of the Enugu State House of Assembly are weighing the option of impeaching Chime, among other considerations, if he fails to return to the country by January 2, 2012.

They commenced this move after the acting Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, presented the state 2013 budget last Friday.

Speaking to our correspondent in confidence, some of the lawmakers stated that the decision to commence impeachment process against Chime if he failed to return by January 2 would be the right step in the overall interest of the state.

One of the lawmakers, from Enugu East, said, “I think most of my colleagues are now convinced that we must act now to save us from this unwarranted embarrassment. We are concerned about the health challenges of the governor, but the state must move on.

“Another option, if we must give the governor a soft landing, is to empower the acting governor to function as a substantive governor.”

“If we do this, it would adequately fill the vacuum that Chime’s absence is currently creating.”

Fellow Nigerians,


Here is another example of PUNCH and Ozioma Ubabukoh's recent shenanigans

PUNCH and Ozioma Ubabukoh in reporting/ spreading the lie that Gov Sullivan Chime had died in India (a story that has now been proven to be false) put it this way:

"...UNCONFIRMED REPORTS had it that Chime passed on at ..."
http://www.punchng.com/news/chime-feared-dead/#comments

Therefter several media outliets including codewit.com, osun defender.com, africanspotlight.com, and onlinenigeria.com "CULLED" the "UNCONFIRMED REPORT" from the PUNCH and Ozioma Ubabukoh report and re-reported the "UNCONFIRMED REPORT" in their own media. And so initiated a global dissemination of what was essentially a LIE.

But why did PUNCH and Ozioma Ubabukoh not CONFIRM THE REPORT before they published the story? Why terrorize a whole state(Enugu State); and a whole family (the Chimes); and an entire government (ENSG) and a whole nation (Nigeria) with such reckless, merciless journalism? Why disseminate such falsehood in such a hasty and brazen manner?

As I have said PUNCH and Ozioma Ubabukoh have thrown away objectivity, professionalism, truth, ethics, and fairness and has chosen to wage a campaign of calumny. lies and falsehoods against Gov Chime. While Ozioma Ubabukoh may be compromised in this campaign for pecuniary interests, what about the professionalism of the PUNCH editor. How can he partake in, or allow this travesty to go on? Whoever the PUNCH editor is should re-assess his commitment to professionalism and truth. While the editor may sell more copies today with this type of sensationalism, he must also know that he is killing PUNCH slowly. I along with many Nigerians can no longer TRUST PUNCH. The serial lies have become overwhelming and unpardonable. A word is enough for the wise.

Ambrose Agu

Fellow Nigerians,



Here are even more LIES from PUNCH NEWSPAPER and Ozioma Ubabukoh:



PUNCH LIES AGAIN! Chime Attended 17 Events In Five Years – Investigation
"...a content analysis of newspapers reports of Enugu State Governor Sullivan
Chime's programmes and activities since he became governor on May 29, 2007, on
Tuesday showed that he had attended only 17 events out of a possible 111
physically..."

- OZIOMA UBABUKOH, PUNCH NEWSPAPER in the article entitled "Chime attended 17
events in five years" Investigation - December 26, 2012.
http://www.punchng.com/news/chime-attended-17-events-in-five-years-investigation\

-----

Folks, first and foremost, look again and remember well the name of the concoctor of
this malicious, stupendous and silly LIE. His name is OZIOMA UBABUKOH . He is a
correspondent for the PUNCH newspaper. This is the same Ozioma Ubabukoh who concocted and widely
disseminated the falsehood that Gov Chime had died in India. This was the same
man who claimed that Enugu State Government agents abducted and probed or interrogated
him. All of these claims have been found out to be LIES! Complete
fabrications! So folks, as you read this latest fabrication remember well the
source, and know that Ozioma Ubabukoh concocted this fake news for one purpose
and one purpose only, and that is to add one more merciless stab of his dagger to the
body-reputation of Gov Sullivan Chime. That is the only purpose.
Folks, know this and be not deceived.

Okay now on to this latest amazing fabrication. Folks do you really believe this
crap that Gov Sullivan Chime has attended only 17 events, PHYSICALLY, since
2007? Of course this is a ridiculous lie! How can it be true!

Simply do a google search on "Sullivan Chime" and you will read thousands of reports
that attest to the fact that he has PHYSICALLY attended and participated in
hundreds of public events over the years. Even I, Ambrose Agu, have attended over 20 to
25 public events in Enugu State in the past one (1) year alone in which Gov
Chime himself was PHYSICALLY present. So where does this Ozioma Ubabukoh get his 17
events since 2007?

Folks, there are even several more hundred instances of Gov Chime's very
physical presence and participation in public events and matters, including ones
that you may not necessarily even know about. Did you know that Gov Chime
routinely physically carries out inspections of literally EVERY SINGLE PROJECT
that has been initiated under his administration, by himself? Did you know that
he carries out these inspections (not one per project), but he has been known to
inspect each project several times, at different times, and at different stages.
Did you know that hundreds of these inspections are usually incognito and
nocturnal, sometimes at hours of the night and morning when most people are busy
snoring?

In fact the more one thinks of this lie from Punch Newspaper and Ozioma Ubabukoh,
the more it should infuriate one. Clearly Punch Newspaper and Ozioma Ubabukoh are
insulting your intelligence! Look, even if you add up the number of EXCO meetings
(one per week) that Gov Sullivan has chaired since 2007; plus the number of
budget presentations he has made at the House of Assembly since 2007; plus the
number of appearances he has made at Independence Day celebrations at Okpara
Square since 2007; plus the number of meeting -visits he has made to Abuja since
2007; plus the number of Southeast Governor's meetings he has attended within
and outside Enugu State since 2007; plus the number of Council of States
meetings he has attended in Abuja since 2007; plus the number of commemorations,
presentations, openings etc he has attended since 2007; plus the number of
burials, birthdays, thanksgivings etc he has attended since 2007; plus this,
plus that, and this and that and so on. Folks, do they not add up to hundreds if
not thousands of physical appearances and participation? So where does this
Ubabukoh get his 17 events since 2007?

Why is Punch Newspaper and Ozioma Ubabukoh trying to deceive you into believing
that Gov Chime has been able to PHYSICALLY attend ONLY 17 public events since 2007?
Why is Punch Newspaper and Ozioma Ubabukoh lying to you and deceiving you that
Gov Chime collapses regularly in public? Why did Punch Newspaper and Ozioma Ubabukoh
try to deceive you that that Gov Chime was dead?

Folks, as I have said PUNCH and Ozioma Ubabukoh have thrown away objectivity,
professionalism, truth, ethics, and fairness and has chosen to wage a campaign
of calumny. lies and falsehoods against Gov Chime. While Ozioma Ubabukoh may be
compromised in this campaign for pecuniary interests, what about the
professionalism of the PUNCH editor. How can he partake in, or allow this
travesty to go on? Whoever the PUNCH editor is should re-assess his commitment
to professionalism and truth. While the editor may sell more copies today with
this type of sensationalism, he must also know that he is killing PUNCH slowly.
I along with many Nigerians can no longer TRUST PUNCH. The serial lies have
become overwhelming and unpardonable. A word is enough for the wise.

Ambrose Agu

Fellow Nigerians,

Please YOU be the judge. Can you imagine that Punch Newspaper and Ozioma Ubabukoh
are also fabricating and quoting fictitious Chime aides, and attributing anti-Chime
comments to the fictitious aides! PUNCH Newspaper and Ozioma Ubabukoh is spreading
fraudulent news about Gov Chime, and fabricating and quoting fictitioous Chime aides
and commissioners, all in a bid to cause disaffection among the Gov Chime ranks.
PUNCH and their Enugu correspondent, Ozioma Ubabukoh have been fabricating anti-Chime
reports and attributing them to fictitious Chime aides.

Here is one example. In this example Punch Newspaper and Ozioma Ubabukoh fabricate
and qoute fictitious Chime aides who they refer to as "SOME OF HIS AIDES AND COMMISSIONERS".
And just to show how pernicious this duo is they even fabricate and quote
"ONE OF HIS AIDES, AN UDI INDIGENE", all the more to attempt to cause more confusion,
suspicion, fear and katakata among the Chime ranks. This one is particularly vicious because
Gov Chime is from Udi, Enugu State. Read the example here:


1. "…Some of his aides and a commissioner claimed that Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani,
who was governor of Enugu State at the time, was said to have financed the heart
surgery and subsequent treatment. The aides, who craved anonymity so as not to
be victimised, alleged that Nnamani gave Chime N7m for the surgery. The aides,
however, could not specify the heart-related disease that warranted the surgery.
One of aides, an Udi indigene where Chime also hails from, said, “His (Chime)
heart was very flat and when he complained to Chima (Nnamani), he (Nnamani) had
no option but to help…"
- OZIOMA UBABUKOH, PUNCH NEWSPAPER in the article entitled `Chime underwent
heart surgery in 2005 â€" Aides' - December 19, 2012 by Ozioma Ubabukoh. See
http://www.punchng.com/news/chime-underwent-heart-surgery-in-2005-aides/


Read more here:


2. "…"…Before collapsing in Nsukka in 2011, he had relapsed twice in Enugu, in
2008 and in 2009", said a protocol officer at the Enugu State Government House.
The protocol officer, who sought protection of his identity, said, `Most people
have always blamed the governor's absence from events on other things. The true
situation is that the medical team has to be very sure that the governor is
medically sound before he goes out for an event. The medical team had been
embarassed several times when the governor kept falling at events and the
protocol, security and aides had to block him so that many people would not
notice' …"
- OZIOMA UBABUKOH, PUNCH NEWSPAPER in the article entitled `Chime attended 17
events in five years' Investigation" - December 26, 2012 by Ozioma Ubabukoh/ See
http://www.punchng.com/news/chime-attended-17-events-in-five-years-investigation/


My fellow Nigerians, even a blind man can see the scurrilous, and ratty setup in these fake
references to fictitious Chime's aides,commissioners, and protocol officers and
the really pernicious and evil attribution of anti-Chime lies to the Chime aides.
Clearly Punch Newspaper and Ozioma Ubabukoh are hoping to sow the seeds of confusion, fear,
suspicion, rancor and retribution in Government House.

The point is that PUNCH and Ozioma Ubabukoh are fabricating and publishing lies against
Gov Chime of Enugu State and his aides and commissioners. For example the PUNCH story that Gov Chime
had died is a lie. The PUNCH story that Ozioma Ubabukoh was abducted and roughhandled by enugu
government agents is a lie. The PUNCH story that Gov Chime had physically attended only
17 public events since 2007 is another HUMONGOUS lie. The PUNCH story that Chime's aides
and commissioners have made various anti-Chime comments is also another pathetic lie.
Punch Newspaper and Ozioma Ubabukoh ARE JUST LYING, AND LYING, AND LYING against Gov Chime.

As I have said PUNCH and Ozioma Ubabukoh have jettisoned objectivity, professionalism, truth, ethics,
and fairness and have chosen to wage a campaign of calumny, lies and falsehoods against Gov Chime.
While Ozioma Ubabukoh may be compromised in this campaign for pecuniary interests, what about the
professionalism of the PUNCH editor? How can the editor partake in, or allow this travesty to go on?
Whoever the PUNCH editor is should re-assess his commitment to professionalism and truth.
While the editor may sell more copies today with this type of sensationalism, he must also
know that he is killing PUNCH slowly. I,along with many Nigerians, can no longer TRUST PUNCH.
The serial lies have become overwhelming and unpardonable. A word is enough for the wise.

Ambrose Agu

.

Here is what someone had commented regarding this same matter:

--

OlaDecember 30, 2012 at 12:58 pm
MUST SOMEONE CLAIM ANONYMITY IN PUNCH NEWS?
When it was earlier stated in this newspaper that governor underwent a heart surgery in 2005 it was from an anonymous. Now anonymous is telling us again that he is suffering from blood cancer. Sensitive issues that threaten our unity and oneness as Nigerians has in recent times been said by anonymous. Punch is now punching wrong buttons. Yes, it is the duty of the media to speak for the people but it should NEVER be done at the risk and detriment of our existance especially when one can not verify this claims from a no-face-no-name person. If we cease to exist then who will you(punch) speak for?. Punch said that he was reported moved from an undisclosed hospital in India to another in London. It all seems to be a gossip journalism. We will love your newspaper more if it has only true and verified reports no matter how small. We don’t mind if you put lots of Cartoons there, just make sure the rest few reports are true.

------
Well said, Ola!
Punch newspaper, if you have ears use them now.

My fellow Nigerians,

Here are yet more LIES from PUNCH Newspaper against Gov Sullivan Chime.

In this one, PUNCH fabricates this lie that Enugu State has had no Acting
Governor since Gov Chime's left the countryin September, 2012. As at a few
days ago (December 29, 2012) PUNCH Newspaper tried to deceive Nigerians into
believing that Gov Chime never handed over power to his Deputy, as Acting
Governor, prior to his departure in September 2012. Of course PUNCH Newspaper
knew this to be FALSE because Gov Chime had handed over governance to his Deputy,
Sunday Onyebuchi, as Acting Governor SINCE SEPTEMBER, 2012! Click on this link to
read the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, attest that Sunday Onyebuchi has
been Enugu State Acting Governor since September 2012.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/chimes-absence-normal-speaker/ .

Then read here the incredible LIE that PUNCH Newspaper wrote just a few days ago
(December 29, 2012) regarding the matter: "…Before the Suntai crash, his counterpart
in Enugu State, Sulivan Chime, had disappeared from the public scene. Chime's last
public appearance was at the meeting of the South-East Governors' Forum on Sept. 9,
2012 in Enugu …but unlike in Taraba State where the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar,
has been sworn in as acting governor, Sunday Onyebuchi remains a deputy governor three
months after the disappearance of his master from the country …"
- PUNCH NEWSPAPER in the article entitled "Season of sorrow for governors",
December 29, 2012. http://www.punchng.com/news/season-of-sorrow-for-governors/

Also please take time to read the entire story which I have pasted below, or click on
the link above to read the entire story at the Punch website. The statement
above was published by PUNCH Newspaper on December 29, 2012, in an article
entitled "Season of sorrow for governors" .

Now my country men and women, please answer this question: is it true or FALSE that
unlike in Taraba State where the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, has been sworn
in as acting governor, Enugu State's Sunday Onyebuchi has remained a deputy governor
three months after Gov Sullivan left the country? Is that statement not a lie? Was HE
Sunday Onyebuchi not sworn in as Acting Governor of Enugu State many months ago?

Of course HE Sunday Onyebuchi is currently the Acting Governor of Enugu State.
Click on this link to read the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, attest that
Sunday Onyebuchi has been Enugu State Acting Governor since September 2012.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/chimes-absence-normal-speaker/ .

You remember that before Gov Chime left the shores of Nigeria, he had duly
transmitted a letter to the Enugu State House of Assembly through the Speaker,
Eugene Odo, informing the House that he was proceeding on a consolidated leave.
Via that correspondence he also properly handed over governance to his deputy,
Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, as Acting Governor of Enugu State. This was way back in
September 2012. So how come that 3 months later, on December 29, 2012, PUNCH
Newspaper is publishing this lie that Gov Chime did not transfer power to HE
Sunday Onyebuchi as Acting Governor?

You see, this is a good example of what I have been talking about. Punch
Newspaper has set out to spread lies about our Gov Sullivan Chime with the aim
of destroying Sullivan's good name! Of course you recall the PUNCH story that
Gov Chime had died in India. That was a lie; and then the PUNCH story that Enugu
Government agents rough handled Ozioma Ubabukoh. That was another lie; then the
PUNCH story that Gov Chime had physically attended only 17 public events since
2007. That was another whopping lie. And of course you recall the PUNCH story
that Gov Chime's aides and commissioners are making various anti-Chime comments.
That was also another scurrilous lie.

Folks,as you can see PUNCH has thrown away objectivity, professionalism, truth,
ethics, and fairness and has chosen to wage a campaign of calumny. lies and
falsehoods against Gov Chime. While Ubabukoh may be compromised in this campaign
for pecuniary interests, what about the professionalism of the PUNCH editor.
How can he partake in, or allow this travesty to go on? Whoever the PUNCH editor
is should re-assess his commitment to professionalism and truth. While the editor
may sell more copies today with this type of sensationalism, he must also know that
he is killing PUNCH slowly. I along with many Nigerians can no longer TRUST PUNCH.
The serial lies have become overwhelming and unpardonable. A word is enough for the
wise.

Ambrose Agu

Here is what a commentator thinks about Punch and Ozioma Ubabukoh.
He thinks that Ozioma Ubabukoh & Punch Editors Should be sent to Prison !
Read:

AfamDecember 26, 2012 at 1:22 am
The same punch that published the death of chime…i don't think your editors have
spent sometimes in prison for their false stories but one day it will happen.

-----

This commentator suspects PUNCH is being USED Politically!
Is that a question? Of course they are !


HeyDecember 26, 2012 at 5:02 am
"...Punch is lik am suspecting smth,and dont allow any to use u politically, the
other day u publish death and nt properly handover, 2day u revised/admiting
handing over 2 d deputy, 2morrow who knws. But i beg u better adhere strictelly
2 ur professionalism and nt been sentimental..."

------

This commentator warns Punch to Desist from False Stories!


OkwySamuelDecember 26, 2012 at 7:36 am
I pray 4 a quick recovery of my Gov. But Punch, u should b careful not to report
a well verified story, it's quite unprofessional. U should know dat some of ur
readers are enlightened, so desist from yellow journalism because u are losing
people's confidence and interest.

------

This commentator curses PUNCH and Ozioma Ubabukoh:


Omoyoruba14 December 26, 2012 at 11:52 pm
enugubpeopel shpould knwo that punch and this man jurnalist oziama are out to
get chime. last week they said he dead. then they say they were kidnapped bcus
they were prevented from filing a hasty unverified story. now they say he is
physicly absnt from public function. punch has been compromized. oziama has been
paid to laucch attacks against this man chime. punch this is not good fur you.
you hsve lost your professnalism. you are disgrace to jurnalism. I curse Punch
and oziama. i advis enugubpeopel to standby their guv.

-----

^^^
Choi!! I'll advice you go for dyslexia test. No offence.

Chongaiman: ^^^
Choi!! I'll advice you go for dyslexia test. No offence.

Chongaiman, abeg forget wetin dey write for moto, enter moto,
So long as you understand the man, all is well.

Mr Poster. . What does d governor have to lose by coming out to state the true condition of his heath? Remember wat the country went thru during ya'adub's health issues. Nigeria became a laughmg stock in front of the international community.

We don't want all that again biko.

When Hilary Clinton suffered concussion the other time, the U.S govt came out clean about her heath status. That is how it should be done.

Not hiding this and concealing that. If a public servant get malaria and can't work, make e come out and say, "people, i get malaria o, i wan go rest" ehen. . na so e suppose to be. Not going into hiding abi how a governor go disappear for over 3 months. . . His whereabouts is unknown. Is that good in ur eyes? Answer me

Governor Sullivan Chime Will be Back Soon


Chime back soon –Aide
DENNIS AGBOJanuary 6, 2013No Comments »
NATIONAL MIRROR

Residents of Enugu State are expecting the return of Governor Sullivan Chime, a
member of the state's executive council has said.

The cabinet member, who was regarded as one of the confidants of Chime, told
Sunday Mirror in confidence that the governor was aware of the tension generated
by his long absence from the state, but laughed at the speculation that he was
sick and gave directives to his aides on phone.

The confidant claimed that he spoke with Chime on the expectation of his return
by the residents, adding that the governor would be back soon. Stressing that
Governor Chime was aware that he would stay outside the state beyond the three
months granted by the Constitution, he handed over to his deputy in acting
capacity.

He said: "The governor was aware that he would stay outside the state beyond the
period permitted by the Constitution, he, therefore, handed over to the acting
governor. He did that before he left. So, why do people worry?"

In the same vein, the Governor's Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, when
confronted on why he issued condolence massage to the family of the late Kaduna
State Governor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, instead of addressing Chime's death rumour,
Achife said it was because the governor instructed him to ignore the death
rumour and issue the condolence massage. Chime was alleged to suffering from
terminal sickness.

He was rumoured to be suffering liver problem. Some people claimed that Chime
had eye surgery and breathed through oxygen.

They added that the governor had visited some specialist hospitals in India and
Europe for treatment. The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke,
had claimed that Chime was on leave and would soon be back. Governor Peter Obi
of Anambra State claimed during Dr. Alex Ekwueme's 80th birthday in October,
last year that the Enugu State governor was not feeling quit well.

Curiosity, however, arose last December when the Acting Governor, Sunday
Onyebuchi, presented the 2013 budget to the state House of Assembly. Outspoken
Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma of the Anglican Church had, at a public function, burst
out that if the governor was sick, the people should be told so they could pray
for his quick recovery.

The Bishop insisted that if all were well with Chime after all, he should make
haste and come back to continue with the mandate given to him by the people.

Spiritual leader of the Adoration Ministry in Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka,
during the eve of Christmas celebration prayed for the governor's recovery.

Folks,

Remember Ozioma Ubabukoh (the Enugu correspondent for Punch Newspaper), who used the pages of Punch Newspaper to spread lies against Gov Sullivan Chime?

If you may recall, it was Ozioma Ubabukoh who originated and spread the story that Gov Chime had died in India. That was a lie. It was also Ozioma Ubabukoh who originated and spread the story that Gov Chime-sponsored government agents had assaulted him. That was another lie. It was also Ozioma Ubabukoh who originated and spread the story that Gov Chime had physically attended only 17 public events since 2007. A GIGANTIC lie. It was also Ozioma Ubabukoh who originated and spread the story that Gov Chime never transferred power to the Deputy Governor, as Acting Governor. Another lie. It was also Ozioma Ubabukoh who originated and spread the story that Gov Chime's aides and commissioners are making various anti-Chime comments. That was another scurrilous lie. And it was also Ozioma Ubabukoh who originated and spread the story that Gov Chime would be "SMUGGLED" into the country on December 31, 2012. A wicked deception. In the last three months or so, Ozioma Ubabukoh (sponsored by the dreaded ebeano mafia) has reeled out and spread lie after lie after lie against Gov Chime all in an effort to destroy the governor’s good name.

But we fought back by cataloguing and exposing Ozioma Ubabukoh’s anti-Chime lies and deceptions to the world, and now it appears there may have beenn some sort of intervention. Folks, have you read any anti-Chime stories (better yet, fabrications) from Ozioma Ubabukoh lately? I have not! Ozioma Ubabukoh’s anti-Chime fabrications which were almost a daily staple for Punch Newspaper have seemingly ceased (for now). What may have happened? Well, I am not sure, but I suspect that Ozioma Ubabukoh may have been SUSPENDED from submitting any more of his ‘stories’ on Gov Chime to Punch Newspaper. It seems Punch Nigeria Limited eventually wizened up and finally muzzled the lying Ozioma Ubabukoh. But because old habits die hard, we will remain ever watchful just in case Ozioma Ubabukoh and Punch relapse to their old lying ways. If that be the case, expect that we will come after them with even more vigour and determination. Ozioma Ubabukoh and Punch Newspaper must clean up their act and consistently keep it clean or we will be joining issues with them no end. In the meantime Ozioma Ubabukoh should find his seeming SUSPENSION from submitting Chime stories rather restful. Folks, he needs the rest from so much lying.

Gov Chime Talks to Vanguard: 'I'm Alive, Will be Back' !!!


I'm alive, will be back – Chime, Enugu gov
On January 23, 2013
VANGUARD


By EMMANUEL AZIKEN, CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & TONY EDIKE
LAGOS — FOR the first time since he left the country 135 days ago, Governor
Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, yesterday, opened up on his condition, saying he
is in good health and will soon return to the country.

The governor spoke exclusively to Vanguard while receiving three governors, who
visited him in London, United Kingdom where he is recovering after an illness.

Enugu State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime flanked by some members of the
Governor's forum; Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue state, Governor Godswill
Akpabio of Akwa Ibom state (left) and Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State in
London, Tuesday.

Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers
State; Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State and Governor Gabriel Suswam
of Benue State who constituted the delegation, separately attested to Chime's
state of well being in telephone interviews with Vanguard. They said Chime was,
yesterday, moving about, eating and in good health.

The visit of the governors followed unprecedented speculations on the state of
Chime's health.

I'm very great— Chime

Governor Chime's declaration came as the Speaker of the Enugu State House of
Assembly, Eugene Odo, rejected a call by prominent citizens of the state under
the aegis of Save Enugu Group (SEG) for the House to invoke the Doctrine of
Necessity to enthrone the deputy governor of the state, Sunday Onyebuchi as
acting governor.

Speaking to Vanguard, yesterday, Chime said: "I am alive and well, I will be
back very, very soon."

Asked how he felt, the governor in a very strong, cheerful voice said: "I am
great, very, very great. Tell Nigerians to discountenance all the rumours about
my health."

Chime is in good shape – Amaechi

Speaking on Chime's health, Amaechi said: "We saw him in an atmosphere of
recovery. We were able to go out with him, he is in good shape and is getting
ready to come back home very soon. We thank God for what He has done, how He has
helped him to recover."

He has recovered fully – Suswam

Also speaking, Suswam said: "Chime has been discharged from the hospital. He
has recovered fully and is physically okay. I was impressed with what I saw. We
walked around together, ate together and he is going about on his own."

We must desist from wishing our leaders evil – Akpabio

Also speaking on their encounter with Chime, Akpabio said: "He has recovered
tremendously, I am very happy and I give glory to God. This our visit to him and
the fact that he was able to speak with Vanguard has put paid to all the
rumours. Nigerians should learn how to pray for their leaders instead of ganging
up through NGOs and groups and wishing them evil. We are all human beings. As
humans, we can break down anytime which means we should be sympathetic with our
leaders when they face challenges whether health wise or security wise. We
should pray for them instead of wishing them bad."

Speaker berates Chime's critics

Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Mr. Eugene Odo, yesterday, faulted the
position of the Save Enugu Group (SEG) on Governor Sullivan Chime's prolonged
absence from the state, saying the lawmakers did not in any way violate the
Nigerian constitution in their handling of the issue.

Odo, who spoke on the floor of the House at the resumption of debates on the
state's 2013 budget proposal, said by not invoking the Doctrine of Necessity to
dislodge Chime on account of his leave, the House had not done anything wrong to
warrant any attack as witnessed in the recent past.

The Chief Maxi Okwu-led SEG had in a letter to the Speaker on Monday asked the
lawmakers to use the Doctrine of Necessity to empower the acting governor of
Enugu state, Sunday Onyebuchi, citing the case of late President Umaru Musa
Yar'Adua.

Gov's absence is in order – Odo

Countering, Odo said: "We believe that those demanding that do not actually
know what the Doctrine of Necessity is all about. Perhaps, people equate
Doctrine of Necessity with a mere jamboree phenomenon."

Insisting that Governor Chime's absence was in order and should not be compared
with that of late President Yar'Adua, the Speaker restated that the governor
transmitted a letter to the House before travelling, and "in the letter he
empowered his deputy as the acting governor.

"And under the 1999 Constitution, section 190, whenever a governor is travelling
and he intends to stay for more than 21 days, he should transmit a letter to the
House of Assembly, in which case the deputy governor now becomes the acting
governor, which Sullivan Chime had done.

"It beats my imagination when some people started to say that the House of
Assembly should empower the deputy governor to act. Under our constitution, the
power to act has been vested on the deputy governor and the constitution does
not provide for double acting capacity as some people are clamouring for."

Odo explained that the Doctrine of Necessity was applied by the National
Assembly in the case of late President Yar'Adua when the president traveled
without handing over to the vice president.

He also dismissed the request that certain individuals be empowered to to go and
see how the governor was faring overseas.

"That is a mere moral issue. The constitution of Nigeria in Section 189 made it
specifically clear that even when the governor is not feeling fine, the only
statutory body that can generate a resolution to the House of Assembly is the
State Executive Council and even in the House of Assembly, the Speaker has a
duty to nominate five medical practitioners including the governor's doctor for
that purpose. In other words, those listed by the group did not meet the
constitutional requirements; none of them is a medical practitioner," he argued.

The SEG had in its letter to the speaker dated January 21, 2013, demanded an
explanation regarding the letter purportedly sent to the lawmakers notifying
them of his intention to embark on leave in September last year, stressing that
the said letter, if any, ought to have been made public since it was not meant
for the speaker's private perusal.

"We demand to know from you if the said letter was tabled and read at an open
session of the House? If so, may we be obliged with or referred to a copy of the
Hansard where this is reflected. We are also interested to know the ground on
which the Governor was departing. Was it for a `vacation' or the second arm
which is `for inability to discharge the functions of his office'? It cannot be
for both we humbly submit, as we believe that the `or' makes the clause
disjunctive and with different consequences.

"We would wish to inquire from you, if you did write formally to the Deputy
Governor intimating him of the said letter and attaching a copy of the letter to
enable him immediately begin to function as Acting Governor? This would be the
prescribed procedure since we have been advised by constitutional lawyers that a
swearing in is not mandatory in this particular circumstance.

"Mr. Speaker Sir, our worry here is that there is more to it than meets the eye
in the `acting governorship' of Mr. Onyebuchi. We believe that without a formal
communication from your office to him, no one in his shoes can take over a state
administration on mere hearsay," the SEG stated in the letter to the speaker
signed by its Convener, Okwu.

How the controversies started

On September 19, 2012, exactly 135 days ago, Governor Chime travelled out of the
country after transmitting a letter to the House of Assembly that he was
proceeding on leave and handing over the reins of authority to his deputy,
Onyebuchi.

The governor's failure to return to office after six weeks sparked controversy,
leading to speculations of ill-health and varied allegations of incapacity.
Enugu Commissioner for Information Mr. Chuks Ugwoke, however, repeatedly
asserted that due process was followed by the governor in proceeding on what he
described as "accumulated vacation."

Gov Chime Talks to Vanguard: 'I'm Alive, Will be Back' !!!


I'm alive, will be back – Chime, Enugu gov
On January 23, 2013
VANGUARD


By EMMANUEL AZIKEN, CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & TONY EDIKE
LAGOS — FOR the first time since he left the country 135 days ago, Governor
Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, yesterday, opened up on his condition, saying he
is in good health and will soon return to the country.

The governor spoke exclusively to Vanguard while receiving three governors, who
visited him in London, United Kingdom where he is recovering after an illness.

Enugu State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime flanked by some members of the
Governor's forum; Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue state, Governor Godswill
Akpabio of Akwa Ibom state (left) and Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State in
London, Tuesday.

Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers
State; Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State and Governor Gabriel Suswam
of Benue State who constituted the delegation, separately attested to Chime's
state of well being in telephone interviews with Vanguard. They said Chime was,
yesterday, moving about, eating and in good health.

The visit of the governors followed unprecedented speculations on the state of
Chime's health.

I'm very great— Chime

Governor Chime's declaration came as the Speaker of the Enugu State House of
Assembly, Eugene Odo, rejected a call by prominent citizens of the state under
the aegis of Save Enugu Group (SEG) for the House to invoke the Doctrine of
Necessity to enthrone the deputy governor of the state, Sunday Onyebuchi as
acting governor.

Speaking to Vanguard, yesterday, Chime said: "I am alive and well, I will be
back very, very soon."

Asked how he felt, the governor in a very strong, cheerful voice said: "I am
great, very, very great. Tell Nigerians to discountenance all the rumours about
my health."

Chime is in good shape – Amaechi

Speaking on Chime's health, Amaechi said: "We saw him in an atmosphere of
recovery. We were able to go out with him, he is in good shape and is getting
ready to come back home very soon. We thank God for what He has done, how He has
helped him to recover."

He has recovered fully – Suswam

Also speaking, Suswam said: "Chime has been discharged from the hospital. He
has recovered fully and is physically okay. I was impressed with what I saw. We
walked around together, ate together and he is going about on his own."

We must desist from wishing our leaders evil – Akpabio

Also speaking on their encounter with Chime, Akpabio said: "He has recovered
tremendously, I am very happy and I give glory to God. This our visit to him and
the fact that he was able to speak with Vanguard has put paid to all the
rumours. Nigerians should learn how to pray for their leaders instead of ganging
up through NGOs and groups and wishing them evil. We are all human beings. As
humans, we can break down anytime which means we should be sympathetic with our
leaders when they face challenges whether health wise or security wise. We
should pray for them instead of wishing them bad."

Speaker berates Chime's critics

Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Mr. Eugene Odo, yesterday, faulted the
position of the Save Enugu Group (SEG) on Governor Sullivan Chime's prolonged
absence from the state, saying the lawmakers did not in any way violate the
Nigerian constitution in their handling of the issue.

Odo, who spoke on the floor of the House at the resumption of debates on the
state's 2013 budget proposal, said by not invoking the Doctrine of Necessity to
dislodge Chime on account of his leave, the House had not done anything wrong to
warrant any attack as witnessed in the recent past.

The Chief Maxi Okwu-led SEG had in a letter to the Speaker on Monday asked the
lawmakers to use the Doctrine of Necessity to empower the acting governor of
Enugu state, Sunday Onyebuchi, citing the case of late President Umaru Musa
Yar'Adua.

Gov's absence is in order – Odo

Countering, Odo said: "We believe that those demanding that do not actually
know what the Doctrine of Necessity is all about. Perhaps, people equate
Doctrine of Necessity with a mere jamboree phenomenon."

Insisting that Governor Chime's absence was in order and should not be compared
with that of late President Yar'Adua, the Speaker restated that the governor
transmitted a letter to the House before travelling, and "in the letter he
empowered his deputy as the acting governor.

"And under the 1999 Constitution, section 190, whenever a governor is travelling
and he intends to stay for more than 21 days, he should transmit a letter to the
House of Assembly, in which case the deputy governor now becomes the acting
governor, which Sullivan Chime had done.

"It beats my imagination when some people started to say that the House of
Assembly should empower the deputy governor to act. Under our constitution, the
power to act has been vested on the deputy governor and the constitution does
not provide for double acting capacity as some people are clamouring for."

Odo explained that the Doctrine of Necessity was applied by the National
Assembly in the case of late President Yar'Adua when the president traveled
without handing over to the vice president.

He also dismissed the request that certain individuals be empowered to to go and
see how the governor was faring overseas.

"That is a mere moral issue. The constitution of Nigeria in Section 189 made it
specifically clear that even when the governor is not feeling fine, the only
statutory body that can generate a resolution to the House of Assembly is the
State Executive Council and even in the House of Assembly, the Speaker has a
duty to nominate five medical practitioners including the governor's doctor for
that purpose. In other words, those listed by the group did not meet the
constitutional requirements; none of them is a medical practitioner," he argued.

The SEG had in its letter to the speaker dated January 21, 2013, demanded an
explanation regarding the letter purportedly sent to the lawmakers notifying
them of his intention to embark on leave in September last year, stressing that
the said letter, if any, ought to have been made public since it was not meant
for the speaker's private perusal.

"We demand to know from you if the said letter was tabled and read at an open
session of the House? If so, may we be obliged with or referred to a copy of the
Hansard where this is reflected. We are also interested to know the ground on
which the Governor was departing. Was it for a `vacation' or the second arm
which is `for inability to discharge the functions of his office'? It cannot be
for both we humbly submit, as we believe that the `or' makes the clause
disjunctive and with different consequences.

"We would wish to inquire from you, if you did write formally to the Deputy
Governor intimating him of the said letter and attaching a copy of the letter to
enable him immediately begin to function as Acting Governor? This would be the
prescribed procedure since we have been advised by constitutional lawyers that a
swearing in is not mandatory in this particular circumstance.

"Mr. Speaker Sir, our worry here is that there is more to it than meets the eye
in the `acting governorship' of Mr. Onyebuchi. We believe that without a formal
communication from your office to him, no one in his shoes can take over a state
administration on mere hearsay," the SEG stated in the letter to the speaker
signed by its Convener, Okwu.

How the controversies started

On September 19, 2012, exactly 135 days ago, Governor Chime travelled out of the
country after transmitting a letter to the House of Assembly that he was
proceeding on leave and handing over the reins of authority to his deputy,
Onyebuchi.

The governor's failure to return to office after six weeks sparked controversy,
leading to speculations of ill-health and varied allegations of incapacity.
Enugu Commissioner for Information Mr. Chuks Ugwoke, however, repeatedly
asserted that due process was followed by the governor in proceeding on what he
described as "accumulated vacation."

Why Prof. Sagay is Wrong on Gov Sullivan Chime
by Ambrose Agu

Published in The Advocate
5th February, 2013

-----

Dear Prof. Itse Sagay,

In your interview published under the title “Absentee governors should be impeached –Itse Sagay”, in the Sun Newspaper of 3rd February, 2013. See http://sunnewsonline.com/new/politics/absentee-governors-should-be-impeached-itse-sagay/#comments, you made several erroneous, false and misleading assertions and conclusions in so far as they refer to His Excellency Sullivan Iheanacho Chime, Governor of Enugu State, and with all due respect, we completely disagree with you with regard to those false assertions and misleading conclusions, and hereby respectfully request that you withdraw, clarify, or admit culpability as the case may be, and that you issue a public apology to all the affected parties.

First, Prof., the interviewer asked you the following question:

“Governor Chime, for instance, has been away for more time than the constitution even prescribes. What do you think should be done in the case of these absentee governors?”

Instead of immediately repudiating and clarifying the underlying legal fallacy that serves as the premise of that question, you went ahead and answered the question under the apparent endorsement and adoption of that legal fallacy. So we ask you Professor, is there anything in the Nigerian Constitution that prescribes a time limit for a Governor that is away from his office on vacation? If there is no such constitutional time prescription, how then could Governor Chime have exceeded a time limit that does not exist in the first place? Remember, sir that the issue is not whether such a time limit should exist as that would be a matter for a future constitutional amendment. The correct issue remains whether under the current Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended in 2011, whether there is any provision that prescribes a certain time limit for a Governor that is away from his office on vacation? If the answer is “no”, then how could Governor Chime have exceeded a nonexistent time limit?

The applicable sections of the Nigerian Constitution are Sections 190(1) and 190(2) as amended in 2011. Section 190(1) states as follows: “Whenever the governor is proceeding on vacation or is unable to discharge the functions of his office, he shall transmit a written declaration to the Speaker of the House of Assembly to that effect”. Section 190(2) adds that: “In the event that the governor is unable or fails to transmit the written declaration mentioned in subsection (1) within 21 days, the House of Assembly shall, by a resolution made by a simple majority of the vote of the House, mandate the Deputy Governor to perform the functions of the office of the Governor as acting governor, pending when the governor transmits a letter to the Speaker that he is now available to resume his functions as governor”.

Prof., as you can see there is nothing in these two sections that limits the length of time a Governor can be away from office for reason of vacation or unavailability to discharge the functions of his office, where such a Governor has complied with Section 190(1) of the Constitution by transmitting a written declaration to the Speaker of the House of Assembly that he is proceeding on vacation or is unable to discharge the functions of his office. In other words, sir, Section 190(2) is inapplicable where compliance with Section 190(1) has been properly established.

Now coming to the facts that we are working with, Prof. are you not aware that prior to his proceeding on vacation, Governor Sullivan Chime (as a matter of fact) properly transmitted the letter required by Section 190(1) to the Enugu State House of Assembly thereby transferring full powers of the office of the Governor to the Deputy Governor, as Acting Governor? Sir, the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eugene Odo has attested to this. The Speaker has actually confirmed that Governor Chime duly transmitted the Section 190(1) letter to the Enugu State House of Assembly prior to proceeding on vacation. See article entitled “Chime’ll be back soon —Enugu Speaker”, by Ozioma Ubabukoh, Punch Newspaper, 30th January, 2013, http://www.punchng.com/news/chimell-be-back-soon-enugu-speaker/ .

Furthermore, sir, the current Acting Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency Sunday Onyebuchi, himself, has also recently confirmed that the Governor Chime had transmitted the requisite letter to the Enugu State House of Assembly and thus properly handed over to him; and that in that letter Governor Chime had urged the lawmakers to give him (the Acting Governor) the needed support and cooperation in the period he (Governor Chime) would be away. See article entitled “Chime properly handed over to me –Ag gov”, by Chidi Nnadi, Sun Newspaper, 30th January, 2013, http://sunnewsonline.com/new/national/chime-properly-handed-over-to-me-ag-gov/ .

Prof. , since we have incontrovertibly established that Governor Sullivan Chime clearly complied with Section 190(1) of the Nigerian Constitution prior to proceeding on vacation, and since there is no provision in the Constitution that prescribes the length of time a Governor may stay on vacation or otherwise be unavailable to discharge the functions of his office, do you not see that the interviewer’s question to you was built on a premise that is a legal fallacy (that is that the Nigerian Constitution prescribes a time limit for a Governor that is away on vacation, and that Governor Chime has exceeded that time limit)? That premise is false as a matter of constitutional law. And since it is false, Governor Chime then has violated no laws with regard to any constitutional time prescription for vacation and is therefore well within his rights as expressed and implied in the Nigerian Constitution.

So why, Prof., did you not immediately repudiate and clarify that underlying legal fallacy in that interviewer’s question to you? Prof., because you are a Professor of Law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria your failure to refute that legal fallacy is unacceptable and particularly dangerous because unknowing members of the public (relying on the strength of your very impressive qualifications and antecedents) may have accepted your tacit endorsement and adoption of that legal fallacy and thus concluded that Governor Chime has violated the law, when in fact Governor Chime is innocent, and is clearly within his rights as expressed and implied by the Nigerian Constitution. Professor, your tacit endorsement and adoption of that legal fallacy was wrong and unfair to Governor Sullivan Chime and the good people of Enugu State.

Secondly, Prof., you made the following statement in that interview:

“Chime’s case is getting out of control. It’s even more disturbing and outrageous that a lady who is the chief of staff is exercising the powers of the governor because she is close to the governor. The deputy governor is just left high and dry; being scorned, ill-treated and disrespected by commissioners all over the state. That is total distortion of the constitutional arrangement. I think Chime’s case is serious and he probably needs to be impeached”.

Prof., do you know that the purported factual assertions in your statement above are all factually false, deceptive and misleading? Where did you get all this deceptive information from? Did you bother to verify them before you came out to disseminate them to the public as “your irrefutable facts”? Apparently you failed to do so. This is because if you had bothered to verify your ‘facts’ before you published them, you would have discovered a few eye-openers.

For example your claim that the Chief of Staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, has been exercising the powers of the Governor of Enugu State, is false, baseless, outrageous. And it is unpardonable that you levied such a weighty accusation against the Chief of Staff, yet you failed to identify what specific power of the Governor, the Chief of Staff has exercised, and you failed to cite even a single example of your alleged illegal exercise of gubernatorial power by the Chief of Staff. Prof., the Chief of Staff’s political traducers are notorious for heaping various outrageous accusations upon her, but failing to substantiate any of them at all. Unfortunately, Prof., much like those political traducers, you have made your own outrageous accusation against the Chief of staff, but very significantly, you have completely failed to substantiate it. Prof., because you have failed to cite even one example, or otherwise failed to substantiate your accusation against the Chief of Staff, we will therefore presume that your accusation was most likely ill-informed by the baseless, politically-sponsored rumours against the Chief of Staff that you probably read in the newspapers.

But Prof., not everything you read in the media is true. Sometimes political traducers could employ the media as an instrument to discredit, demonize and devalue a particular political target. And, Prof., if you had bothered to investigate you would have discovered that the Chief of Staff is actually a victim of such negative media campaign, and that many false rumours have been spread against her to tarnish and discredit her, but that she is actually innocent of those often outrageous charges. Prof. did you know that some members of the political elite in Enugu State see her as a stumbling block? Did you know that she is often accused by the elite as being responsible for the eradication of patronage under the Chime administration (which the elite had become used to under the immediate past administration of Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani)? Did you know that contractors also accuse her of being over-prudent because very few contract file pass through her table with the contract amount not being reviewed downward?

Prof. did you also know that the Chief of Staff is also being falsely accused of sacking the Chairman of the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs. Ethel Nebo-Ezeabasili; and the Head of Service of the Enugu State Civil Service, Mr. Dennis Eze; and the Managing Director of the Enugu Waste Management Board, Mrs. Thelma Ogakwu, even when the Chief of Staff has absolutely no power to sack any of these officials, and did not in fact sack them as the officials were sacked by the Secretary to the State Government, acting under the instruction of the Acting Governor of Enugu State? Prof., it has not helped matters either that because she comes from a private sector background, the Chief of Staff is known not to have much patience for politicians or long-winded overly bureaucratic civil servants, and as a result some see it as too brusque and a violation of the political and bureaucratic culture that they are used to.

Professor what we are saying to you is that if you had done your due diligence, you would have discovered that all of the above “offences” have earned the Chief of Staff a good number of powerful political foes in Enugu State; and that it is these powerful political foes that have been sponsoring the false rumours against her – rumours such as that she is the de-facto Governor of Enugu state, and that she is exercising the powers of the Governor, among several other rumours that are all false.

Prof. It is false that the Chief of Staff is exercising the powers of the Governor as you claim. In fact the Chief of Staff has herself described insinuations that she is the de-facto Governor of Enugu state as “unfounded imagination”. Sources close to her have also described her as “restricting herself to assignments detailed to her office by the acting governor”. See article entitled “Enugu: A Tense Wait for Chime”, Thisday Newspaper, 13th January, 2013, http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/enugu-a-tense-wait-for-chime/136174/ .

So Prof. because you failed to cite a single instance where the Chief of Staff exercised the powers of the Governor as you falsely claimed. And because you apparently failed to carry out the investigation that should have revealed to you the context and motivation for these false rumours against the Chief of Staff, you have essentially exhibited herd mentality by simply joining the political herd to pile baseless accusations upon an innocent woman. Accusations that you failed to substantiate. This is clearly wrong and unfair to the Chief of Staff and to the good people of Enugu State.

Furthermore, Prof., you described the Acting Governor of Enugu State as having been “left high and dry; being scorned, ill-treated and disrespected by commissioners all over the state”, and that this “is total distortion of the constitutional arrangement”. Prof. this is a highly outrageous statement coming from you! And again you failed to substantiate this outrageous statement. And again you failed to cite even one example. Prof., how has the Acting Governor been scorned, ill-treated, and disrespected, and by whom? When did this happen? Which commissioners disrespected the Acting Governor? When and where did that happen? Unfortunately you, again, offered no substantiation and because of that, sir, all your assertions in this regard will be discarded as baseless and unfounded and they are.

Prof., it might interest you to know that the Acting Governor himself (as if in direct response to you), has recently discredited your assertion completely. The Acting Governor, recently categorically assured Nigerians that he is fully in charge in Enugu State as power was duly handed over to him by Governor Chime prior to Chime proceeding on vacation. The Acting Governor also confirmed that Gov Chime had through a letter to the State House of Assembly handed over the full powers of the office of the Governor to him as Acting Governor, and that Governor Chime had also asked the House of Assembly to support him (the Acting Governor). And as if to also directly answer your unfounded charge that there is a “distortion of constitutional arrangement” in Enugu state, the Acting Governor himself, categorically declared that Enugu State has no problem with governance at all, and that all that needs to be done is being properly attended to. The Acting Governor equally dismissed another baseless rumour that he had been given a N500, 000.00 approval limit, insinuating that such rumour is nonsensical. See article entitled “I’m fully in charge, says Enugu acting gov”, by Atika Balal, Daily Trust, 30th January, 2013, http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/index.php/news-news/49529-i-m-fully-in-charge-says-enugu-acting-gov .

Clearly, sir, Acting Governor Sunday Onyebuchi is in charge in Enugu State, how then could it be true that he is (according to you, Prof., ) “left high and dry; being scorned, ill-treated and disrespected by commissioners all over the state” ? How can that be? He is the Acting Governor of the State for crying out loud, the Chief Executive Officer of the State! He can call any public official to immediate account, and sack any public official found wanting including any commissioner! And he has in fact sacked three very senior government officials; the Chairman, Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board; the Head of Service; and the Managing Director, Enugu State Waste Management Authority.

Prof. Acting Governor Sunday Onyebuchi is in charge in Enugu State, and he is clearly exercising his powers. In fact the Enugu State Executive Council under his leadership and chairmanship has been awarding several contracts running into billions of naira and such projects are ongoing. And despite Governor Chime’s absence, government has still surged forward, and numerous developmental projects worth billions of naira in the area of roads, water supply, electricity, education, health, and housing among others are all in progress, all over Enugu state, and all under the leadership and supervision of Acting Governor Sunday Onyebuchi. See article entitled “Enugu PDP: Chime Will be Back Soon”, by Christopher Isiguzo, Thisday, 11th January, 2013, http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/enugu-pdp-chime-will-be-back-soon/136016/ .

Prof., it might also interest you to know that the so-called Save Enugu Group, a 5-man opposition group which comprises mainly of Governor Chime’s old Ebeano foes, had been stridently pressing that an imaginary cabal is running Enugu State and that the Acting Governor is not truly in charge; and that there is a N500, 000.00 approval limit imposed on the Acting Governor. But even this group has recently conceded that neither the cabal nor the N500, 000.00 approval limit exists in reality and that, in their own words, they have “buried the popular bogey that a cabal known as and called G-5 has been running the affairs of Enugu state with him (the Acting Governor) merely a ceremonial acting governor. That to us rests the issue …”. See article entitled “Press Release: Enugu State Acting Governor Sunday Onyebichi Says He Is In Charge”, 247ureports.com, 31st January, 2013, http://247ureports.com/press-release-enugu-state-acting-governor-sunday-onyebichi-says-he-is-in-charge/ .

In other words, Prof., the main Enugu-based opposition group on this matter has invariably conceded that Acting Governor Onyebuchi is, in fact, fully in charge in Enugu State, and that no other person or cabal is exercising the powers of the Governor in Enugu State, other than the Acting Governor.

So Prof. , based on the above, it is clear that you have failed to substantiate your accusation that the Acting Governor is (according to you) “left high and dry; being scorned, ill-treated and disrespected by commissioners all over the state”. You have also apparently failed to carry out the investigation that should have revealed to you that you are completely wrong about the Acting Governor, and that the Acting Governor is truly in charge in Enugu State. You have only succeeded in injuring the reputation of the Acting Governor and misleading the public on this issue. Honestly it is embarrassing and unfair that you would describe such a powerful man as the Acting Governor of Enugu State who is exercising the full powers of the office of the Governor in such disrespectful terms. Prof., if anyone has shown the Acting Governor any disrespect, it is you. And that is clearly wrong and unfair to the Acting Governor and to the good people of Enugu State.

Finally, Prof, perhaps your most egregious and outrageous claim in that interview occurred when the interviewer asked you whether the doctrine of necessity should be applied in Enugu State. You replied as follows:

“That could be done too. It’s a more moderate approach to allow the deputy to act until he (Governor Chime) comes back. But I think him (Governor Chime) leaving Enugu without a head of government is an impeachable offense”, and “I think Chime’s case is serious and he probably needs to be impeached”.

Professor you are wrong on your ‘facts’ in the above statement, and wrong on the law as well! And it is indeed outrageous that apparently you are oblivious of the fact that Governor Chime did not leave Enugu State until he had properly transferred full gubernatorial powers to an alternate head of Government (the Acting Governor).

Apparently you are not aware that Governor Chime fully complied with the requirements of Section 190(1) by transmitting the required letter to the Enugu State House of Assembly, and that by so doing he transferred the full powers of the office of the Governor to Deputy Governor, thereby empowering The Deputy Governor as the Acting Governor. And of course Gov Chime did all of this before he left Enugu State to proceed on vacation.

Are you also not aware that both the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly and the Acting Governor himself have both attested to the fact that Governor Chime, in fact, fully complied with the requirements of Section 190(1) and that he properly transferred power to the Deputy Governor as the Acting Governor? Are you also not aware that Acting Governor Sunday Onyebuchi, as the current head of the Enugu State Government, has been performing his gubernatorial duties creditably, overseeing the award of public works contracts running into billions of Naira, and sacking very senior government officials including the Head of Service, the Chairman, Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board, and the Managing Director of the Enugu State Waste Management Authority?

Prof. you should have known that your statement above is factually false and potentially reckless, and as such you ought to have prudently investigated the accuracy of these statements before publishing them to the world. But you failed to do so. Prof. do you know that your statement above, that the doctrine of necessity could be applied in Enugu State “as a more moderate approach to allow the deputy to act until he (Governor Chime) comes back” is wrong as a matter of law? The reason is that the doctrine of necessity is inapplicable where in this context Section 190(1) has been properly complied with by Governor Chime!

Yet despite that you were wrong on the facts and wrong on the law, you publicly advised and recommended the impeachment of His Excellency Sullivan Iheanacho Chime, Governor of Enugu State! So you see, your advice and recommendation was wrong and reckless and dangerous because it has the potential of creating unnecessary and avoidable unease and trouble among the people of Enugu State.

Let me end this piece here by reiterating and restating our demands as follows:

1. That you immediately issue a public statement refuting that legal fallacy which you tacitly endorsed and adopted in your interview to the effect that the Nigerian Constitution prescribes a time limit for a Governor that is away from his office, and that Governor Chime has exceeded such a time limit; furthermore that you explain and clarify same for the benefit and education of good Nigerians;

2. That you immediately issue a public statement withdrawing your false, unsubstantiated, and misleading, assertions during the interview to the effect that that the Chief of Staff, Enugu State has illegally usurped gubernatorial powers; and that the Acting Governor of Enugu State has (according to you) been “scorned, ill-treated and disrespected by commissioners all over the state”; and that there is (again according to you) a “total distortion of the constitutional arrangement” in Enugu State;

3. That you immediately issue a public statement admitting that your invariable assertion that Governor Chime left Enugu State without a head of Government is wrong as a matter of fact; and that your assertion that the doctrine of necessity is applicable in a situation where Section 190(1) of the Nigerian Constitution as amended has been properly complied with, is wrong as a matter of law.

4. That you immediately issue a public apology to the good people of Enugu State whose beloved Governor, and Acting Governor, and Chief of Staff you have so unfairly vilified and cast in a bad light.

SIGNED
On behalf of the good people of Enugu State

Ambrose Agu
Enugu, Nigeria

Choi....See LONG essay! Most of it is all lies but who is suffering?? These people will defend bad leaders who make their life difficult and don't give a damn! Goodness...I'm glad I only get to read your miseries on these InterWeb...LOL

Governor Sullivan Chime, Pope Benedict XVI, and the Matter of Privacy
– By Ambrose Agu

247UREPORTS
20th February, 2013
http://247ureports.com/governor-sullivan-chime-pope-benedict-xvi-and-the-matter-\
of-privacy-by-ambrose-agu/


The Vatican has recently disclosed that Pope Benedict XVI has needed and used a
pacemaker for at least 10 years, and that the Pope underwent a secret heart
surgery about three months ago. As reported, the Pope, in an operation that had
remained a secret until last Tuesday, had a pacemaker fitted less than three
months before the announcement of his resignation. Father Federico Lombardi ,the
Vatican's chief spokesman confirmed the report, saying: "It is correct that (the
pace-maker) was substituted …" The pacemaker was a re-placement for one which
had been fitted about 10 years ago, before Pope Benedict XVI was elected to
succeed Pope John Paul II. The fitting of the new pace-maker was carried out by
heart surgeons at the Pius XI medical clinic in Rome. The operation went well
and the Pope recovered speedily. He did not even miss his weekly Angelus
address, which is held every Sunday. Subsequently Pope Benedict commissioned
three of his most loyal cardinals to write a report into the affair. The Pope
reportedly shelved the report immediately. Notably that announcement by the
Vatican last Tuesday was the first time that Pope Benedict's need for, and use
of the pacemaker had been disclosed to the public by the Vatican (albeit that
the pacemaker had been fitted about ten years ago). See "Vatican admits Pope
Benedict had secret heart surgery", February 16, 2013, by Sam Eyoboka & Olayinka
Latona with Agency Reports, Vanguard Newspaper.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/02/vatican-admits-pope-benedict-had-secret-heart\
-surgery/ .

By this disclosure, therefore, the matter is invariably underscored for us all,
of the importance of privacy, and the importance of the need for privacy, and
the importance of the right to privacy to the very essence of human nature
itself. Clearly privacy and the need for privacy are primal and integral to
human nature. This is why almost all modern Constitutions recognize this need
for privacy and codify it as a legal right for all persons. In my thinking it is
this primal and natural need for privacy that rightly explains why even the Holy
Father, the Pope rightly withheld from the public the recently-disclosed
information regarding his medical condition and the heart surgery that he
underwent about three months ago.

Before I proceed any further, however, I want to implore the reader to, please,
not misconstrue my intentions in my mentions of the Pope, as indeed, I make
these mentions with the utmost trepidation and as these mentions are not and
will never be a criticism of the Holy Father! Quite to the contrary, as I write
this piece, I remain in awe and adulation, and adoration of Pope Benedict XVI,
as I revere him, and I, actually and honestly, believe that even Pope Benedict
XVI and all Popes have certain natural inalienable needs and rights (including
the natural need for privacy, and the moral right to privacy), thus that the
Holy Father was well within this inalienable need and right to withhold his
medical condition information for the ten or so years that he apparently did; or
to withhold his medical procedure (heart surgery) information for the three
months or so that he reportedly did; or even to withhold such information
forever if he so wished. Again I honestly believe that even Popes have an
inalienable primal need for privacy (in many cases), and a moral right to such
privacy that ought to be recognized and respected by all. So in short, I have no
problem with this recent announcement by the Vatican.

My only concern, however, is about Governor Sullivan Chime. Why not Governor
Chime? How come Governor Chime cannot assert his own need for privacy and
exercise his own right to privacy regarding his own medical condition and/or
medical procedure? Does Governor Chime not have the same primal need for privacy
and the same moral right to privacy as well as other public figures and leaders,
as well as the Holy Father? What about the fact that in addition to this primal
need for privacy, and moral right to privacy, Governor Chime additionally has a
legal right to privacy that is protected by the Nigerian Constitution? Is it not
unfair, therefore, to summarily strip Governor Chime of his need for privacy and
his moral and legal right to privacy?

If Gov Sullivan Chime were the Pope instead of the Governor of Enugu State would
you still hold the opinion that he has committed the gravest of crimes just
because he chose to exercise his right to privacy and withhold information
concerning his medical condition and/or medical procedure for approximately
three or four months ? Just as the Vatican withheld information about the Pope's
heart surgery for approximately three months, was it not also within Gov Chime's
inalienable right to privacy to withhold information about his cancer treatment
for the three or four months that he did, or even forever if he so wishes? Or is
there a different standard for political leaders as opposed to religious
leaders? Or is it because it is Gov Sullivan Iheanacho Chime?

As we may recall Governor Chime left Enugu State on or about 19th September,
2013 for his accumulated annual leave. His absence was explainable and publicly
explained because prior to proceeding on vacation, he transmitted a letter to
the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly (ENSHA) informing him that he was
proceeding on vacation, and Enugu government officials subsequently and
repeatedly explained to the people of Enugu State that Governor Chime had left
Enugu State on account of his accumulated leave. So the people of Enugu State
knew that Governor Chime was away from the state on accumulated leave.

And Governor Chime's whereabouts was also public knowledge. It was a well-known
fact that Governor Chime was spending his accumulated leave in London. Governors
Amaechi, Akpabio, and Suswam paid Governor Chime a visit in London and actually
took a group photograph with him in London. Also, Deputy Senate President Ike
Ekweremadu travelled to London to visit Governor Chime. Also Governor Peter Obi
visited Governor Chime in London. Besides, Gov Chime himself had also reported
that he was vacationing in London and that it was while undergoing a medical
checkup in London that certain medical issues were discovered that required
medical follow-up. The Guardian Newspaper also reported that they saw Governor
Chime in London. So this to say that the fact that Governor Chime was in London
during his accumulated leave was not in dispute. That information was well known
to the public. The people of Enugu State knew this, and at a point even the
whole world knew it also.

And that Gov Chime fully complied with the law prior to proceeding on his
accumulated leave is also not in dispute. Gov Chime (as a matter of fact)
properly transmitted the letter required under Section 190 of the Nigerian
Constitution, to the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly thereby
transferring full powers of the office of the Governor to the Deputy Governor,
as Acting Governor. The Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon.
Eugene Odo, and the former Acting Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency Sunday
Onyebuchi, and Governor Sullivan Chime, himself have all confirmed this, and
also confirmed that Governor Chime even urged the lawmakers to give the Acting
Governor the needed support and cooperation in the period that he (Governor
Chime) would be away.

To be noted also is the fact that Gov Chime's absence while on his accumulated
leave never caused any governance problems in Enugu State. Prior to proceeding
on leave, Governor Chime left Enugu State with an alternate head of government
in the person of the former Acting Governor Sunday Onyebuchi on whom he had
transferred the full powers of the office of the Governor via his (Gov Chime's)
Section 190(1) letter to the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly. So
Enugu State had a competent and effective head of government in the person of
the former Acting Governor, His Excellency Sunday Onyebuchi. And Enugu State
also had an Executive Council (EXCO) that continued to meet to consider matters
of State administration.

It is important to acknowledge that the former Acting Governor (who was the
chairman of the Enugu State Executive Council) had himself confirmed that Enugu
State (in Governor Chime's absence) had no problem with governance at all. He
confirmed that all that needed to be done was being properly attended to. Work
was going on. Workers and contractors were being paid. Despite Governor Chime's
absence, governance powered on and numerous developmental projects worth
billions of naira in the area of roads, water supply, electricity, education,
health, and housing among others were all in progress, all over Enugu state. In
fact the Enugu State Executive Council under the chairmanship of the former
Acting Governor Onyebuchi had awarded several contracts running into billions of
naira during that period and such projects were and are still ongoing.
Government services were being delivered promptly and efficiently in Enugu
State, despite Governor Chime's absence.

Many had wondered how it was possible that governance ran so smoothly in Enugu
State in the period of Governor Chime's absence. It is an important observation
and the reason needs to be noted. The reason is that what Governor Sullivan
Chime has done in Enugu State is that he has built up, and shored up systems,
processes, and institutions of governance along with their requisite checks and
balances such that effective and efficient governance would and could still
operate flawlessly, regardless of the absence of particular persons. It is a
triumph of the system over the individual and not vice versa. So the period of
Governor Chime's absence was actually an opportunity to test and evaluate this
arrangement. It was set into motion and tested, and it was very successful as
governance indeed lost no step in Governor Chime's absence, proving that
Governor Chime has successfully recast governance once more as a collective and
a collaborative assignment, not a personal fiefdom. This is the reason why there
was never any problem with governance in Enugu State during Gov Chime's absence.

So in light of all the above what was the justification for the hullabaloo that
followed Governor Chime's decision to withhold his medical condition/ procedure
information for the three to four months that he did before he finally disclosed
that information to the public on 11thFebruary, 2013? Was the contrived and
engineered uproar justified? Was the public not repeatedly told that Governor
Chime was on accumulated leave, and was he, in fact not, on accumulated leave?
Was the public not repeatedly told that Gov Chime was in London as, in fact, he
was in London? Did Governor Chime then have any legal obligation to immediately
publicly disclose that he was undergoing cancer treatment on out-patient basis
while on his accumulated leave in London? Did the public have a legal "right to
know" this information as some have claimed?

The truth and stark reality of the matter is that Governor Chime was legally and
properly away on accumulated leave and whatever he may have legally done during
his accumulated leave (including attending to any medical issues) was entirely
his affair. There was no LEGAL obligation mandating Gov Chime to tell anyone
what he was doing during his vacation to the extent that such activity was
legal. Quite to the contrary, Gov Chime's LEGAL right to privacy as enshrined in
the Nigerian Constitution empowers him to keep this information to himself (if
he chooses). So it was entirely up to him to keep the information to himself or
to disclose it to the public if he so chooses, and in the event that he wished
to disclose the information to the public, that he had the right to do so at a
time and place that was entirely up to him. Suffice it to mention at this
juncture that Governor Chime has eventually disclosed the information to the
public on 11th February, 2013, in Enugu, Nigeria.

In other words the much trumpeted "public right to know", in this instance, is
nonexistent in Nigerian law. Where does it say in any Nigerian law or in the
Nigerian Constitution that the public has a right to know what a Governor is
doing (that is otherwise legal) during his vacation; or even where the Governor
is spending that vacation for that matter? Where does any Nigerian law or the
Nigerian Constitution say that a Governor on vacation must inform the public if
he decides to use that vacation period to attend to medical issues? The stark
reality is that this "public right to know" (in these circumstances) is
misplaced and mistaken. In fact in these circumstances, it is not a cognizable
legal right at all! If anything it is actually and more aptly a "demand to know"
(and the emphasis is on `demand'); an insistent inquisitiveness that information
to which one has no legal right whatsoever be disclosed to one, in brazen
disregard of the countervailing rights of the owner and possessor of that
information. The other inner truth is that for the most part this unfounded
"demand to know" in this case was clearly politically motivated and propelled by
an anti-Chime opposition that saw political capital in the situation. But
regardless of how insistent and strident this "demand to know" had been, it was
ultimately null and void because it has no foundation in law.

It is also noted that upon recognizing the lack of legal foundation for this
"demand to know", the anti-Chime opposition re-dress their unfounded "demand to
know" as a moral argument so it could be minimally tenable. That is to say that
they began to argue that Governor Chime has a moral obligation (as opposed to a
legal obligation) to disclose the information. But even this arguable moral
obligation to disclose Is not wholly persuasive or dispositive of the issue
because in considering it, it must be juxtaposed to, and considered along with
Governor Chime's own moral right to privacy (same as was exercised by the Holy
Father, Pope Benedict XVI, same as is possessed by all humans whether public
figure or not). And of course, this is in addition to Governor Chime's legal
right to privacy! So in these circumstances even the moral argument equally
fails. The question then follows whether this "demand to know" crowd had a moral
obligation to recognize and respect Governor Chime's legal and moral rights to
privacy in this instance and whether their failure to recognize and respect
these rights is immoral in itself, in these circumstances?

In sum, the truth is that Governor Chime had no legal obligation, and no
automatic moral obligation to disclose his medical information as some demanded
that he disclose to them immediately, at the time that they did. Quite to the
contrary, Governor Chime has a legal and moral right to privacy over the matter
which was not vitiated under the circumstances. Thus it was entirely up to
Governor Chime to disclose or not to disclose to the public, information
regarding what he had been doing (legally) during his accumulated leave. And
that in the event he chooses to disclose that information, then, the time and
place of such disclosure would be entirely up to him (not you). That was the
whole point. And again, at this juncture, it is worthy to note that Gov Chime
has eventually (on his own volition) disclosed the information to the public on
11th February, 2013, in Enugu, upon his return from accumulated leave.

So I ask again, if Gov Sullivan Chime were the Pope instead of the Governor of
Enugu State would you still hold the opinion that he has committed the gravest
of crimes just because he chose to exercise his legal and moral right to privacy
and not disclose his medical condition information for the three or four months
that he did? And just as the Vatican rightly withheld information about the
Pope's need and use of a pacemaker for about ten years, and rightly withheld
information about the Pope's heart surgery for about three months before
disclosure, was it not also within Gov Chime's inalienable right to privacy to
withhold information about his cancer treatment for the three or four months
that he did? Or is there a different standard for political leaders as opposed
to religious leaders? Are there even any standards at all in Nigeria regarding
this type of matter?

If you belong to the school of thought that believes that a public's need to
know could in certain circumstances trounce a public official's right to
privacy, then show me the standards of application of such in this country! Are
these standards clear cut? How do we navigate them? Where are the historical
precedents and guidelines for these standards in Nigerian public life? Which
body is the final arbiter of these standards? Do we even have such a body? Or
was all this dust not raised for political reasons just because it is Gov
Sullivan Iheanacho Chime?

Of course the "demand to know" crowd is quick to cite Hugo Chavez and Hillary
Clinton as two modern-day examples of public figures who voluntarily, publicly
disclosed information regarding their medical conditions/procedures. But as I
had noted earlier it is their right and their choice which of course was
determined by their own individual circumstances, therefore we must recognize
and respect their right and choice to publicly disclose their information as at
the time and place that they did. But certainly one can now equally cite Pope
Benedict XVI (based on the recent announcement), and, yes, Governor Sullivan
Chime as two modern-day examples of public figures who chose not to publicly
disclose (for some time, at least) information regarding their medical
conditions/procedures. Of course it is noted that this is also equally their
right and their choice as determined by their own individual circumstances,
therefore we must equally recognize and respect their right and their choice not
to publicly disclose their information until such a time that they wish to do
so, if at all they do so. By the way, it should be noted that while both camps
may have exercised inapposite choices, the determinant is usually
circumstantial, but the common denominator remains the same, which is that the
choice to disclose or not disclose is firmly rooted in the individual's
inalienable right to privacy.

Anyway, as I end this piece, I again underscore and plead with you the reader to
understand that this piece is not, and must never be misconstrued as a criticism
of the Holy Father or the Vatican. God forbid! Quite to the contrary, this piece
is indeed, in reverence, adoration, and support of these two great institutions,
from which this great lesson on privacy emanates.

Ambrose Agu
Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria

That Daily Times Story Is False ... Gov Chime Is In Enugu And He Is Okay ! by ambroseagu: 8:25pm
Breaking News: Enugu ... Gov Chime is in Enugu and He is Okay

Folks,

Please read the story below entitled "Breaking News: Enugu governor Sullivan
Chime flown abroad again on medical grounds", | March 3, 2013 - 10:10am | By
Bonaventure Melah, DAILY TIMES,
http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/breaking-news-enugu-governor-sullivan-chime-flo\
\wn-abroad-again-medical-grounds

Please note that there is no truth at all to this Daily Times story. His
Excellency Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime is presently in Enugu going about
his gubernatorial business and steadily delivering on the 4-Point Agenda for the
people of Enugu State. A simple, very basic investigation could have confirmed
the falsity of this story, yet the Daily Times reporter failed to undertake such
a basic step necessary to confirm the veracity of the story, (or the lack
thereof). This is a very bad case of "make-up" or hallucinatory journalism and
it should be roundly condemned. Gov Chime is in Enugu and he is okay.

----------------------------

Breaking News: Enugu governor Sullivan Chime flown abroad again on medical
groundshttp://dailytimes.com.ng/article/breaking-news-enugu-governor-sullivan-ch\
ime-flown-abroad-again-medical-grounds
ARTICLE | MARCH 3, 2013 - 10:10AM | BY BONAVENTURE MELAH

Daily Times has just been informed that the Enugu State Governor, Sullivan
Chime has been flown abroad again following complications on his health
condition.

Governor Sullivan Chime returned to Nigeria two weeks ago after spending four
months in hospital abroad and since he returned, the governor has been
incommunicado leaving speculations that his return in the first place was
‘packaged’ to show that he was still in control of affairs of the state.

It is not yet clear the manner in which his movement aboard was arranged and
to which hospital.
Daily Times will be keep you updated on this.

(Modify) (Quote) (Report)

Gov Sullivan Chime’s Enugu State Still Quite Safe, Despite Recent Incidents
- By Ambrose Agu


Recently we have been hit with the very sad news that this past Saturday, March 2nd, 2013, the Kwara State Police Commissioner Chinwike Asadu was shot dead in Amorji Nike, Enugu, while his police orderly, Aloha Olaniyi, and his driver, Oliver Omeh were seriously wounded in what appears to be an assassination. This was an unfortunate and senseless killing, a terrible act indeed! We pray for the repose of the soul of the brother Police Commissioner, Mr. Chinwike Asadu. We also pray for the quick recovery to good health of his police orderly, Aloha Olaniyi, and his driver Oliver Omeh. It is heartening to note that the new Enugu State Police Commissioner, Mr Tonye Ebitubituwa, has immediately ordered his men to do everything possible to apprehend the dastardly killers. We pray that the criminals will soon be arrested and brought to justice, and that God provides the family of the slain Police Commissioner with the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

But surprisingly and unfortunately some of Governor Chime’s habitual detractors (mainly from the long discredited and moribund Ebeano Organization and their latest incarnation the Save Enugu Group) have mischievously begun to cite Mr. Asadu’s assassination as reason to question Governor Chime’s commitment to providing security in Enugu State. At least one obviously sponsored blogger has recently publicly asserted the unacceptable claim that Mr. Asadu’s assassination is evidence of (according to the blogger) "a reign of terror and insecurity and confusion in Enugu all because of gang rule in Enugu" and that "Enugu is no longer safe" (all the blogger's words).

But, fellow citizens, for the opposition to even attempt to spin this unfortunate killing to score undeserved political points is to say the least quite outrageous! Granted, this killing happened in Enugu State, but to use that as a basis to question Governor Chime’s well-documented commitment to state-wide security, and thereafter to conclude that the crime is evidence of a "reign of terror and insecurity and confusion in Enugu all because of gang rule in Enugu" and that "Enugu is no longer safe", is to unfairly mischaracterize and unnecessarily spin this terrible crime perhaps to an unwholesome and extremist level!

As anyone that resides here in Enugu can testify there is no reign of terror of any sort in Enugu. There is no confusion or insecurity anywhere in Enugu. In fact Enugu is relatively safe and this is mainly because of the efforts that Gov Sullivan Chime has expended and continues to expend to reduce crime to zero in Enugu State and make Enugu the safest city it can be. It is on record that Gov Chime has routinely gone the extra mile in his capacity as Governor to fight crime and provide security in Enugu State. Gov Chime demands and receives weekly security reports from the police. He meets weekly with the police to discuss the security situation in Enugu State. He constantly provides material support and institutional support to the Enugu State Police.

Gov Chime has at different intervals donated over 100 Hilux trucks to all the security agencies in Enugu state, along with ultra-modern communication gadgets, and other crime-detection and crime-prevention equipment. He has made sure that these donations are spread among the Police, Army, Air Force, Civil Defence etc. These security agencies have been organized to carry out joint patrols in the urban areas and even into the rural areas. They have been able to take a big bite out of crime because Governor Sullivan Chime has always equipped the agencies adequately.


It will therefore be recalled that almost immediately upon assumption of office in 2007, Gov Chime donated 50 Hilux vehicles and thousands of sundry communication and logistical equipment to the Enugu State Police. He also instigated corporations such as banks, insurance companies etc. to chip in and support government's campaign against crime in Enugu State, resulting in an additional 20 plus vans donated by Enugu-based corporations to the Enugu Police.

In addition in July 2010 Gov Chime handed over 25 Hilux vans to the then Enugu State Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr. Danazumi J. Doma. The vans were all fitted with modern communication equipment which enhances collaboration and cooperation among security agencies.

Also in June 2011, Governor Chime again donated 35 brand new patrol vehicles and one hundred communication sets to the Enugu Police. This prompted the Enugu State Commissioner of Police at that time to declare that " that the Governor has continued to show an UNCOMMON solidarity with the police and other security agencies in the state in the fight against crime and criminal elements that the

Governor's disposition to security issues in the state has challenged officers and men of the force to develop a higher level of commitment and devotion to their duties adding that they have now set new standards in the effort to combat crime that that the police owed Governor Chime a duty to continue to obtain excellent results in their lines of duty that the support the police has continued to receive from Governor Sullivan Chime has been EXCEPTIONAL. That Chime has shown an EXTRAORDINARY commitment to assisting the security agencies more especially the police to combat crime in Enugu.

And as I write, Gov Chime has lined up further equipment and material support to be provided to the Enugu Police, yet again. Some of these ultra-modern equipment are currently in store at the Government House, Enugu and will be handed over to the security agencies very soon.

On the other hand, since coming to office, Gov Chime has implemented a community policing program that has contributed to an aggressive reduction of crime in Enugu State. He has so far inaugurated several neighborhood watch/ vigilante groups in the rural areas, and as many neighbourhood associations in the urban areas. These groups are charged with the responsibility of monitoring activities and security in their individual domains. The idea being that nobody knows the domains better than the occupants that reside there. This has drastically reduced crime in the state. In fact it was the security consciousness of one of these neighbourhood watch groups set up by Gov Chime (particularly the group at Ogboelu Abbah community in Udenu Local Government Area, Enugu State) that saved Enugu State from the nefarious Boko Haram sect whose members were intercepted while on a mission to bomb the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. According to reports, the operatives of the neighbourhood watch group had accosted a strange face in the community and on interrogation, the stranger confessed that he is indeed a Boko Haram member on a mission to the Southeast to carry out their threat to bomb the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).

Also under Gov Chime, closed circuit TV cameras have been introduced in strategic locations in Enugu to aid in crime deterrence, detection, and investigation. These cameras are now well known to the Enugu State public and have helped to deter the citizens from initiating criminal behavior. This has also helped to reduce incidents of crime in the state. Please click on the links below and see for yourself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQsRpBFwLEc ,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVUtYs23BEU ,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gps_yoQIBWQ ,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em96W-Xm6WU .

Additionally under Gov Chime, Enugu State has initiated the passing of a law to compel wireless telecommunication carriers operating in Enugu State to provide information to law enforcement agencies in the state. Under the law, carriers must respond to legitimate requests for information made by entities empowered to obtain call information in the course of investigating a crime. The law requires that wireless telephone carriers respond within 24 hours upon receiving a request made by designated law enforcement officials for information regarding calls made by any subscriber who is a target of a criminal investigation. The law specifically requires that carriers cooperate with the state attorney general, the state director of public prosecution (DPP), the state commissioner of police as well as the director of the State Security Service (SSS). Police sources have since praised Gov Chime and his aides for working tirelessly to get the law passed and for being in the forefront of crime prevention. A state prosecutor recently praised Governor Chime saying “…Governor Sullivan Chime enacted this visionary law in order to assist the police and other investigators to gain an upper hand against kidnappers and other criminals. It is a major tool in the war against kidnappers, and police can tell you that they have used it to track down many participants in kidnappings.” In fact even the Nigerian National Assembly and other states have been called upon to emulate Enugu State by passing similar laws to ensure that criminals who employ mobile phones to commit crimes are speedily fished out.

Gov Chime has also sought to extend his security umbrella even to Enugu State indigenes that reside outside Enugu State. Not too long ago, in the wake of Boko Haram onslaught, 177 indigenes of Enugu State were rescued from Maiduguri, Borno State and returned to Enugu in three luxury buses provided on the orders of Governor Sullivan Chime. Among the returnees were about 70 children of various. The returnees expressed gratitude to Gov Chime for his quick response to their distress call saying that his intervention had saved them from certain death or injury. Spokesman for the group and President of the Enugu State Union in Maiduguri, Mr. Paul Igwesi said, "We thank God that we are alive to see this day and we cannot thank Governor Sullivan Chime enough for making it possible for us to escape from danger and get back to our home soil.

In the same vein Gov Chime has also been sensitive to all ethnic and religious communities that reside in Enugu State. Through various policies, projects and programmes, and their implementation, he ensures that every resident of Enugu State including all religious or ethnic minorities are safe and secure. On January 2012 the Islamic community in Enugu State had sent a special letter to Governor Sullivan Chime thanking Governor Sullivan Chime and the government and people of Enugu State for ensuring that peace and security reigned in the state adding that Muslims in the state had never experienced crises or had cause to regret their stay in the state.

But besides these activities directed at bolstering law enforcement, Gov Chime has also approached the issue of security in a more holistic manner in full recognition of the fact that law enforcement is but just one aspect of the wider issue of societal security. In this realm Gov Chime’s efforts regarding infrastructural security has to be mentioned first. Upon assumption of office in 2007, Governor Sullivan Chime inherited a state-wide infrastructure and road network that was in an extremely deplorable condition. The road-network was a notorious source of insecurity to the people of Enugu State as they were practically un-motorable death-traps that ended many motorists’ and pedestrians’ lives prior to 2007. But since Governor Sullivan Chime assumed power he began and has continued on a very aggressive and now legendary road rehabilitation and redevelopment project in Enugu State. He has also constructed sidewalk pavement walk-ways for pedestrians. He has also installed street lights on over 95% of the urban roads. The result of all this is that road accidents have been reduced by almost 90% on our roads. The street lights have also helped to deter crime and has aided in crime prevention. In addition a night economy which was virtually non-existent in Enugu State prior to Governor Sullivan Chime has emerged, and markets have extended their open times to nighttime, economic activities have increased during night time, and thus more people are able to sustain themselves via the night economy. All of this has reduced crime and made the people more safe and secure.

In terms of educational security, Gov Chime has introduced free primary and junior-secondary school education for all Enugu State residents. This means that more youths who were unable to go to school for lack of funds are now able to go to school instead of turning to the streets and crime. Governor Chime has been releasing counterpart funds for the Universal Basic Education projects in both primary and secondary schools in Enugu State. He has provided science kits to over 300 junior and senior secondary schools. He has continually provided generators, computer desks, and computers to numerous schools in the state. Recently he provided a van/ bus to the management of every primary, and secondary school in Enugu State (over 400 vehicles). He has recruited additional teachers into the education system. For secondary schools he has recruited over 2500 additional teachers. He has established the Enugu State Students Scholarship and Loans Board and has granted post-secondary scholarship to numerous indigent students. He is renovating hundreds of classroom blocks all over the state as well as building new ones. Putting all this together it is clear that by his aggressive moves in the educational sector Governor Sullivan Chime has improved the quality of life in Enugu State, improved the economy of the state, and empowered the youths. This has reduced crime and made Enugu State more safe and secure.

As for food and agricultural security, Governor Sullivan Chime has been equally unrelenting. Governor Sullivan Chime has declared an official goal that he wants Enugu State to be self-sufficient in food production and to become a food exporting state by 2015. In pursuit of this goal, he has purchased and distributed over 100 tractors with full implements to Enugu State’s farmers. He has purchased over 1000 cassava grating machines which have been distributed to rural farmers. He has paid hundreds of millions of naira as counterpart funds for various agricultural programs including, the Root and Tuber Expansion Programme, FADAMA III, the Commercial Agriculture Development Project (CADP) and the National Programme on Food Security. He has established the College of Agriculture at Iwollo, Enugu State. He is providing micro-credit grants to rural farmers in collaboration with the Nigerian Agricultural Cooperative Rural Development Bank. He initiated the Enugu State Green, project a massive afforestation and exotic specimen programme. He is paying the state’s share of the fund for the Cassava Mosaic Disease for IITA projects in the state. He has signed an MOU with AFCOT, an Indian firm for the establishment of a tractor assembly plant at Akwuke, Enugu State. He has trained a number of Enugu State youth in agricultural and allied disciplines at the Songhai Institute in Benin Republic. The youth are now employed in various agricultural projects across the state. He is introducing an Enugu State Farmer database that has revolutionized farmer welfare as every farmer is now documented and they are now not left out of government programmes. Governor Sullivan Chime is establishing 21 Green Cities in the state, and one mother farm at Heneke lake area. He is rehabilitating a government-pilot fish farm, constructing a fish hatchery, and fish feed mill all at Nike Lake area, Enugu State. Gov Sullivan is doing all this and more than can be itemized here. As a result Enugu State now produces about 3.2 tonnes of cassava annually, making Enugu State the leading state in cassava production in South East, Nigeria. There is more and more food on Enugu State tables. More people are now employed in Agriculture and food production. This, undoubtedly, has reduced crime and made Enugu State more safe and secure.

As for medical and healthcare security, Gov Chime has instituted free maternal and child healthcare all over Enugu State. This means that Enugu State hospitals offer free medical services to children under the age of 5 years, and pregnant women. Governor Chime has been rehabilitating many district and cottage hospitals, and constructing new health centres. He is purchasing and distributing medical equipment and supplies to health facilities. He is constructing the first Diagnostic Centre in South East Nigeria. He is establishing HIV comprehensive care sites. He has introduced a medical emergency response scheme which is unique and the first of its kind in Nigeria. The Enugu State Medical Emergency Response Scheme is an articulated, coordinated and specialized health package to attend to the people, who may suddenly fall ill either at home, in vehicles or elsewhere within Enugu State. The scheme operates 24hrs daily. The Enugu State Ministry of Health in collaboration with several hospitals in the state are collaborating to ensure that rescued patients are promptly attended to. It is notable that this scheme is unique and first of its kind in Nigeria and that Governor Sullivan Chime set up this scheme without any precedent to copy from. All these measures have certainly provided physical and medical security to the residents of Enugu State and made Enugu State more safe and secure.

Furthermore Governor Sullivan Chime in his continued efforts to create jobs for unemployed youths in the state and thus combat crime and assure security in the state has purchased over 1000 taxi cab vehicles which are leased out to unemployed youths in the state so they can engage in transportation business. The cabs are supported by government backed irrevocable standing payment order. Government also bears the cost of the interest rate since the cabs are part of a poverty-reduction scheme.

As for labour relations and labour security, it should be noted that immediately upon assumption of office in 2007, Gov Chime reviewed and upwardly adjusted the minimum wage of Enugu State civil servants; he also recalled Enugu State civil servants who had been unjustly disengaged by the previous administration; he also re-absorbed indigenes of Enugu State whose employment were terminated by a neighbouring state; he has also continued to promptly and regularly pay Enugu State workers' salaries without fail on the 25th of every month. Since May 2007, Gov Chime has paid salaries on time, every month, without fail. This even includes those months when the federal allocation for the month has not been disbursed to the states; Governor Chime has also cleared all the salary arrears and leave- allowance arrears it inherited from the previous administration; Gov Chime also monetized the official quarters of many Enugu State civil servants and many of them are home owners today, and Gov Chime is still continuing with the monetization of official quarters to Enugu State's workers. Also under Gov Chime, Enugu State workers now duly earn their promotions as at when due in line with due process requirements; Gov Chime has also even created the new Enugu State Ministry of Labour which underscores how important Governor Chime considers the state's relationship with organized labour. Governor Chime was also the first to pay the new National Minimum Wage in the South-east and was, perhaps, one of the first two or three in the whole country to first pay the National Minimum Wage. All these measures promote the economic security of the state and contributed to the reduction of crime in Enugu State.

All of these strides and more caused the United States of America to commend Governor Sullivan Chime for providing quality leadership that has led to the rapid infrastructural development in Enugu State and brought tremendous transformation in the socioeconomic life of its people. The commendation came through Consul General, of the US Consulate in Lagos, Mr. Joseph Stafford when he led some staff of the consulate on a courtesy visit to the Government House, Enugu to round off his tour of some states of the South-East zone. The US Consul General noted with delight the importance of Enugu and her role in the socioeconomic and political development of the country.

So based on all of the above (and more that I am unable to itemize for want of space), the truth is that Gov Chime has done so much and is continuing to do everything within his capacity as Governor to fight crime and provide security in Enugu State. In fact he has shown an uncommon and exceptional commitment to providing security for the people of Enugu State and all these efforts have ultimately made Enugu State and the Coal City, Enugu, very safe, despite the unfortunate and terrible killing of CP Chinwike Asadu in Amorji, Nike, Enugu.

By Ambrose Agu
Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria

ENSG Debunks Rumour of Gov Chime being Flown Abroad Again for Health Reasons


Fellow citizens,yesterday I informed you as follows:

" ..Folks, there is no truth at all to this Daily Times story that Gov Chime has been flown abroad for health reasons. His Excellency Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime is presently in Enugu going about his gubernatorial business and steadily delivering on the 4-Point Agenda for the people of Enugu State. A simple, very basic investigation could have confirmed the falsity of this story, yet the Daily Times reporter failed to undertake such a step necessary to confirm the veracity of the story, (or the lack thereof). This is a very bad case of "make-up" or hallucinatory journalism and it should be roundly condemned. Gov Chime is in Enugu and he is okay..."

Well, here now is an official statement signed by Barr. Chukwudi Achife, Chief Press Secretary to Gov Chime debunking the baseless rumour that Gov Chime has been flown abroad again for health reasons. Please read on and take note:


----------

ENSG Debunks Rumour of Chime's Return to Hospital

Enugu government debunks rumour of Chime's return to hospital
By Emmanuel Uzodinma
March 4, 2013
DAILY POST

The Enugu State government has dismissed recent media reports alleging that Governor Sullivan Chime has left the country for an undisclosed location abroaThere were insinuations over the weekend that Governor Chime had traveled abroad again for medical treatment. However, reacting through a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Chukwudi Achife, the government said that contrary to the report, the Governor was in Enugu where has continued to attend to his official duties since he returned from vacation a few weeks ago.

Achife described the story as a figment of the reporter's imagination, expressing dismay at the ease at which such a false report has been published without any effort whatsoever to verify it. He disclosed that Governor Chime had played host to his Bauchi State counterpart Alhaji Isa Yuguda and other important persons such as Senator Jim Nwobodo and his wife in his country home at Udi on Saturday, March 2, 2013, "whereas the report had falsely claimed that he traveled on Thursday".

Achife stressed that the government would not have bothered to react to such an account "if not for the need to douse the unnecessary anxiety that it may raise among the people of the state".

"It's really disheartening that such a manifestly untrue could be published without regard to the fundamentals of ethics and professionalism. One would have thought that after all that happened when the Governor was away, our colleagues would have learnt some hard lessons about checking the veracity of their stories thoroughly before sending them out for publication. This story is another ample show of disregard for such values and I don't think it speaks well for those who published it",he added.

Governor Sullivan Chime and his Newspaper/ Internet Medical Advisers
By Ambrose Agu

The story entitled “This Chime is Sick!", ThisDay, 8th March, 2013, at first glance appears to resemble a fair piece of advice. Read it here: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/this-chime-is-sick-/141577/. But the problem, in my opinion, with this outwardly innocuous-seeming piece of advisory writing is that it is blatantly presumptive, unsolicited, intermeddling, and unsupported in terms of medical evidentiary sufficiency, therefore it is suspect and clearly lacks persuasive authority. Worse yet like the proverbial Trojan Horse it ominously also appears to harbour a well-hidden, self-interested agenda.

First, here is a summary of what we have always known about Gov Chime’s illness and circumstances, even prior to the unsolicited piece of public advice referenced above. Gov Chime himself on 13th February, 2013 gave a frank, transparent, and detailed account of his illness to the world at a press conference in Government House, Enugu. At that press conference he stated that he had suffered from nasal cancer, but he also explained that he has been cured of the illness (mainly because it was diagnosed early and treated immediately and aggressively). And he also publicly underscored that he would still need to go to his foreign-based doctors from time to time for routine checkups and maintenance. In sum he assured that he is essentially cured and now okay, but will need routine check ups. And since then he has been managing his health and going about his lawful duties without incident.

Now, the gravamen of the ThisDay write-up is (according to the writer) that Gov Chime is feigning to be well, that instead his health has deteriorated from the time he returned to the country on February 8, 2013, and that Gov Chime needs to step down from office and go seek further medical treatment. In support of this presumptive and dubious diagnosis, the writer proffers no more than a mere narrative on some recent pictures, especially the one picture taken when Gov Chime paid a condolence visit to the family of the slain Kwara State Police Commissioner in Enugu, Mr. Chinwe Asadu. Based on this lone picture which the writer probably saw in the pages of a newspaper, he made his diagnosis and recommendation and advised the abdication of a popular electoral mandate.

Not lost also is the writer’s figurative wagging finger and unfair insinuation about “the greedy and short-sighted” to whom wealth and the accumulation of wealth equate health and wellness, and who often discover, belatedly, that wealth does not conquer all - a trite and well-worn cliché that is completely inapplicable in this instance but which has nevertheless been unfairly hoisted upon Gov Chime.

Suffice it to say that the writer’s newspaper diagnosis and holier-than-thou moralizing is patently presumptive as it clearly presumes that Gov Chime and his doctors are unwilling or incapable of making such diagnosis and judgment call when and where necessary. This is wrong! Besides no one sought the writer’s advice, perhaps because the writer lacks the professional training, education and qualification to make such technical pronouncements; plus the writerliterally knows zilch about the details and progress of Gov Chime’s state of health, as a matter of fact. The writer’s opinion is, therefore, unnecessary and perhaps useless, and expectedly will not be required or considered in any medical decisions that may be made by Gov Chime and his doctors. After all, it was Gov Chime (not the writer) who made the decision to go for treatment abroad at the time that he did and at the place that he did and for the reasons that he did! So he and his doctors can make such a decision again if necessary (we pray there will never be a need to do so again). And to even expect Gov Chime to take his medical diagnosis and prescriptions from journalists on the pages of newspapers is to be ridiculous. This is why the advice offered was in reality un-useable and useless.

Besides Gov Chime has Nigerian doctors who, of course, expectedly are continuing to monitor his health and whose advice are more relevant, more grounded and more sensible than the unsolicited and intermeddling presentation we have here. This is therefore to say that the decision of when and how and where and whether to seek further medical treatment abroad is a personal and professional decision that belongs to Gov Chime and his doctors, not politicians and their journalist allies in media houses.

It is also interesting that the writer advised Gov Chime to step down from office and then go seek further medical treatment. Of course the import of that suggestion is dulled with the alternate suggestion that Gov Chime should approach the legislature for more time to go back for treatment, but we get the mischievous idea! Of course many political opponents and foes have been coming out lately with the suggestion that Gov Chime should resign and go seek further treatment. On the surface this would seem like an innocuous, apolitical advice, but the giveaway is that the bearers of this Trojan-horse often always seem more concerned about Gov Chime than Gov Chime himself plus his family and friends combined! Well an opportunity that was lost at the ballot box, and at the courts, and in popular opinion and popular will, should not be so easily regained via such outlandish childish subterfuge! 2015 is around the corner, the opposition is advised to better try their luck then, than resort to this crocodile concern, a laughable shenanigan!

Finally let us let Gov Chime be. He and his Nigerian doctors who are conversant with his progress are quite capable of making any medical decision if ever such a decision becomes necessary. It is improper for anyone to diagnose from afar, and prescribe on the pages of newspapers or the internet, without any true knowledge of the details of the matter in question. Such quack diagnosis and prescription would be dubious and inferior and dangerous to say the least. It would also be un-useable and useless as it could never be used by any right thinking person. So please spare us. Keep your diagnosis and prescriptions to yourself.

By Ambrose Agu
Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria

A WICKED RUMOUR! Governor Sullivan Chime is NOT Dead !


I write this today, May 2, 2013 in response to the wicked and irresponsible lie
that has once again been plastered all over the internet and in some print media
to the effect that Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State is dead. This is an
outrageous lie. Governor Sullivan Chime is very much alive and going about his
gubernatorial duties.

We may recall that only yesterday, May 1, 2013 Governor Sullivan Chime addressed
Enugu State Organized Labour, during the Labour Day parade in Enugu, and praised
the harmonious relationship between his administration and Enugu State Organized
Labour, underscoring that dialogue and consultation remained the best means of
resolving disputes between workers and their employers. Governor Chime even
received an Award from the workers as he promised to tackle any unresolved
issues between them. See
http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/chime-greets-workers/ .

We may also recall that the day before, on April 30, 2013, Governor Sullivan
Chime personally received members of the National Institute for Policy and
Strategic Studies (NIPSS) at the Government House, Enugu and during that
occasion he called on NIPSS to emphasize anti corruption training in its
training programmes. See
http://royaltimes.net/news/chime-wants-nipss-to-emphasise-corruption-in-training\
-programmes/.

This is, therefore, to categorically state without any equivocation that
Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime of Enugu State is alive and NOT dead as has
been falsely reported since yesterday May 1, 2013 or thereabout.

We also painfully recall that this is perhaps the fourth or fifth time that
Governor Chime has been falsely reported as dead since he became the Governor of
Enugu State. Of course these false reports are the deliberate, calculated and
depraved handiwork of Governor Chime's detractors. And of course, such morbid
antics obviously cannot erase the record of Governor Chime's solid achievements
in good governance in Enugu State. Achievements that are culminating into a
legacy the likes of which Enugu State has never seen and which will remain the
benchmark for governance in Enugu State for far into the future. Governor
Sullivan Iheanacho Chime is alive and kicking and we wish him many more healthy
and prosperous years, and may God continue to bless him. Amen.

By, Ambrose Agu
Enugu, Enugu State

I just bumped into this thread while tryna find out who is Uzoma guy is as I saw his report on the Enugu waste disposal issue.... I cant and wont hold brief for him... but after reading all your posts, or most of them, Mr. Agu, I can't help but wonder though.... where was the gover for 3 months?

Is he usually given a vacation for over 12 weeks? how and why was he out of the state for so long without his state knowing where he was...

ambroseagu: My fellow Nigerians,

Here are yet more LIES from PUNCH Newspaper against Gov Sullivan Chime.

In this one, PUNCH fabricates this lie that Enugu State has had no Acting
Governor since Gov Chime's left the countryin September, 2012. As at a few
days ago (December 29, 2012) PUNCH Newspaper tried to deceive Nigerians into
believing that Gov Chime never handed over power to his Deputy, as Acting
Governor, prior to his departure in September 2012. Of course PUNCH Newspaper
knew this to be FALSE because Gov Chime had handed over governance to his Deputy,
Sunday Onyebuchi, as Acting Governor SINCE SEPTEMBER, 2012! Click on this link to
read the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, attest that Sunday Onyebuchi has
been Enugu State Acting Governor since September 2012.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/chimes-absence-normal-speaker/ .

Then read here the incredible LIE that PUNCH Newspaper wrote just a few days ago
(December 29, 2012) regarding the matter: "…Before the Suntai crash, his counterpart
in Enugu State, Sulivan Chime, had disappeared from the public scene. Chime's last
public appearance was at the meeting of the South-East Governors' Forum on Sept. 9,
2012 in Enugu …but unlike in Taraba State where the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar,
has been sworn in as acting governor, Sunday Onyebuchi remains a deputy governor three
months after the disappearance of his master from the country …"
- PUNCH NEWSPAPER in the article entitled "Season of sorrow for governors",
December 29, 2012. http://www.punchng.com/news/season-of-sorrow-for-governors/

Also please take time to read the entire story which I have pasted below, or click on
the link above to read the entire story at the Punch website. The statement
above was published by PUNCH Newspaper on December 29, 2012, in an article
entitled "Season of sorrow for governors" .

Now my country men and women, please answer this question: is it true or FALSE that
unlike in Taraba State where the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, has been sworn
in as acting governor, Enugu State's Sunday Onyebuchi has remained a deputy governor
three months after Gov Sullivan left the country? Is that statement not a lie? Was HE
Sunday Onyebuchi not sworn in as Acting Governor of Enugu State many months ago?

Of course HE Sunday Onyebuchi is currently the Acting Governor of Enugu State.
Click on this link to read the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, attest that
Sunday Onyebuchi has been Enugu State Acting Governor since September 2012.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/chimes-absence-normal-speaker/ .

You remember that before Gov Chime left the shores of Nigeria, he had duly
transmitted a letter to the Enugu State House of Assembly through the Speaker,
Eugene Odo, informing the House that he was proceeding on a consolidated leave.
Via that correspondence he also properly handed over governance to his deputy,
Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, as Acting Governor of Enugu State. This was way back in
September 2012. So how come that 3 months later, on December 29, 2012, PUNCH
Newspaper is publishing this lie that Gov Chime did not transfer power to HE
Sunday Onyebuchi as Acting Governor?

You see, this is a good example of what I have been talking about. Punch
Newspaper has set out to spread lies about our Gov Sullivan Chime with the aim
of destroying Sullivan's good name! Of course you recall the PUNCH story that
Gov Chime had died in India. That was a lie; and then the PUNCH story that Enugu
Government agents rough handled Ozioma Ubabukoh. That was another lie; then the
PUNCH story that Gov Chime had physically attended only 17 public events since
2007. That was another whopping lie. And of course you recall the PUNCH story
that Gov Chime's aides and commissioners are making various anti-Chime comments.
That was also another scurrilous lie.

Folks,as you can see PUNCH has thrown away objectivity, professionalism, truth,
ethics, and fairness and has chosen to wage a campaign of calumny. lies and
falsehoods against Gov Chime. While Ubabukoh may be compromised in this campaign
for pecuniary interests, what about the professionalism of the PUNCH editor.
How can he partake in, or allow this travesty to go on? Whoever the PUNCH editor
is should re-assess his commitment to professionalism and truth. While the editor
may sell more copies today with this type of sensationalism, he must also know that
he is killing PUNCH slowly. I along with many Nigerians can no longer TRUST PUNCH.
The serial lies have become overwhelming and unpardonable. A word is enough for the
wise.

Ambrose Agu

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