- Commissioner: We don’t have deputy governor in Imo
Disappointed with the role of his deputy, Prince Eze Madumere, in the crisis that has engulfed the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has withdrawn and redeployed key personnel attached to the Deputy Governor’s office, including his security details. In a recent communication from the Office of the Head of Service (OHOS), no fewer than nine members of staff at the Deputy Governor’s office were withdrawn and redeployed out of the Deputy Governor’s Office. Madumere has been engaged in a long battle with Okorocha over the affairs of the APC in Imo.
The deputy governor recently quashed an impeachment plot against him by Okorocha’s men and has teamed up with opponents of the governor to wrest power from Okorocha, who is bent on installing his sonin- law, Uche Nwosu as his successor. Madumere, who said he was taken aback by the action, averred that since the quashing of the impeachment plot against him by the court, his office has been largely neglected, mistreated and clearly excluded from activities of government. He lamented that his security details were withdrawn more than two months ago and has not been restored even after he had written to the appropriate authorities.
The number two citizen of the state expressed serious concern over his safety with the resolve of the Commissioner of Police, Dasuki Galadanchi, not to restore his security in spite of the court verdict since September 2018. In a recent memorandum with reference number HIS/S.29/S.1/t.3/1/807 signed on behalf of the Head of Service by Umelo K.O, dated 23rd October, 2018, 12 postings were made with nine of them being personnel posted out of the Deputy Governor’s office.
Those affected include Onumaegbu G.C, Nwokeocha D, Dike Isaac, Nwagwu Aloy O, Chukwu F.C, Echeta E., Odunze Martins and Uzozie Chukwubueze, all of who were redeployed from the Office of the Deputy Governor back to the Office of the Head of Service. The ninth person, Iheanacho Sunday, was redeployed to the Ministry of Justice.
They were all mandated to resume at their new posting by October 31, 2018. A top official from the Office of the Head of Service, who craved anonymity, told our correspondent that redeployment of staff was a routine exercise in the civil service. He added: “It is mischievous to try to politicize a necessary and legitimate process in the service.”
When contacted for his comment on the redeployment of nine staff of the Office of the Deputy Governor, the Information Commissioner, Hon. Patrick Nze, queried if Imo State still had a deputy governor. Nze said: “Do we have a deputy governor in Imo now? What I know we have is a deputy governordesignate. I do not know if you are talking about the outgone Deputy Governor or the incoming one. Eze Madumere is no longer in office, he was impeached.” Speaking to our correspondent on the phone, media aide to the Deputy Governor, Mr. Uche Onwuchekwa, noted that it was nearly two weeks the redeployments were made and no replacements have been sent for the redeployed staff. “The Deputy Governor was not consulted and, as I speak to you, not even one official has been sent to replace the withdrawn staff. Presently, we have about three operational staff only at the Deputy Governor’s office and you can verify,” Onwuchekwa told New Telegraph.
The Deputy Governor has also raised the alarm over a sinister plot to cause him harm. According to Onwuchekwa, “The office of the Deputy Governor, wishes to inform the general public of the resolve by Imo State Government led by Owelle Rochas Okorocha to cause harm if not make attempt on the life of the Deputy Governor. “It is also regrettable that Imo State government would throw caution to the wind by flagrantly refusing to observe ethics and due respect for an established government institution to the extent that the opinion of the Deputy Governor is not sought before actions as sensitive as the Head of Service posting out staff of the Deputy Governor’s office before the action is carried out.” Onwuchekwa main-tained that the sudden posting out of the operational staff in the office of the Deputy Governor is a deliberate ploy to compromise the security of Madumere. “We, therefore, wish to put the Inspector-General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Imo State and other security agencies on notice as to the questionable actions of the Imo State Government led by Governor Rochas Okorocha, and do hereby state that the relevant agencies should know who to hold responsible if any untoward harm befall the Deputy Governor.”
Meanwhile, citizens of Imo State have lauded the APC for dropping Nwosu from the race. Our correspondent reports that while a solemn calm has descended on the Imo State Government House, a cross section of Imo society yesterday rose in unison to commend the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for courageously defying the odds and resolving the Imo State APC governorship primary’s logjam in favour of Senator Hope Uzodinma.