PRESIDENT
Goodluck Jonathan,
yesterday, suspended the
Minister of Interior, Capt.
Emmanuel Ihenacho, from
office alleging official lapses.
The
suspension of the minister
was enveloped in the
political intrigues in his native
Imo State where he was
alleged to have supported
opposition party candidates
during the National
Assembly elections against
Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP candidates promoted by
Governor Ikedi Ohakim.
National Vice Chairman of
the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh,
who had last week called on
the President to sack the
Minister on the basis of the
alleged anti-party activities,
yesterday, welcomed the
President’s action.
Metu told Vanguard that
the suspension should be a
warning to other ministers in
the federal cabinet who he
alleged were equally
involved in anti-party
activities.
The party’s national vice
chairman alleged that the
Presidential Adviser on
Energy, Prof. Barth Nnaji was
one of those allegedly
involved in anti-party
activities who should retrace
their steps.
Opposition party supporters
Opposition party supporters
in Imo State, however,
faulted the suspension of
Ihenacho from office as they
claimed that the presidency
was pandering to the whims
of Governor Ohakim.
There were speculations that
Ambassador Kema Chikwe
who was defeated in the Imo
East senate election by
Senator Chris Anyanwu, the
All Progressive Grand
Alliance, APGA candidate
may have been positioned to
replace Ihenacho in the
cabinet.
Ihenacho was speculated to
have supported Senator
Anyanwu against Chikwe in
the Imo East Senatorial
election on April 9. Anyanwu
won the election.
Announcing the suspension
of the minister in a terse
statement yesterday, Special
Adviser to the President,
Media and Publicity, Mr. Ima
Niboro, said:“President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
has ordered the immediate
suspension of Capt.
Emmanuel Iheanacho as
Minister of Interior and
member of the Federal
Executive Council. “Capt.
Iheanacho has been directed
to hand over to the Minister
of Labour, Mr. Emeka Wogu,
who will, in addition to his
present portfolio, oversee
that ministry.”
Welcoming the suspension
yesterday, Metuh lamented
the disloyalty of the minister
to the ruling party in his
home state saying he had
asked the president to call
him to order whilst also
directing the Imo State
chapter to set up a
disciplinary committee to
investigate his activities and
recommend necessary
sanction against him.
Noting that the President’s
action was indicative of a
listening President, Metuh
said:“The president has
shown that he is a peaceful
man and that he has a
listening ear.
The people of Imo State and
the South East had cried out
over the threat to peace and
anti-party activity of the
minister who had been using
his office as Minister of
Interior to mobilize
operatives of Nigeria Prisons
to harass PDP members in
Imo State especially during
the last elections.”