Vacillation Greets Chime's Pose with Governors!

Nigeria

Governors Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Gabriel Suswan of Benue and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers pose with their ailing colleague and Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime at an undisclosed location in London. 

A group in Enugu state, has dismissed, as fallacy, the recent picture of Ailing Enugu state governor Chime, and his 'Akwa-Ibom, Benue and Rivers state counterparts. The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), and the Save Enugu Group (SEG) have dismissed as fake the picture. according to a reliable source who spoke with one of the News Paper Organizations in Lagos: “Neither the handlers of the governor have been fair to the good people of Enugu State nor is the governor himself, for all the speculation was avoidable. If Chime can stand on his feet, why don’t he return or talk to us through video tape?”

On the circulation of Chime’s picture with the Governors, who were said to have paid him a sympathy visit in London, the source said though he was not a security expert to determine the genuineness of the picture, it has raised more questions than it was intended to answer.

“The rumour mill is once more awash with questions: if he can stand up and smile and take picture, why can’t he talk to us? Is it not an old picture taken in another trip abroad?” he asked.

While noting that most state governors are globe trotters, our source said “it is possible the picture is an old one” since, according to him, it is possible as well that they might have “visited our brother and Governor Danbaba Suntai, because nothing prevents them from going anywhere with public funds, which they see as their personal patrimony.”

He expressed regrets that as a senior lawyer, Chime did not draw lessons from the controversy that surrounded the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s last days.

Last days of late President Yar'Adua, befor he was flown abroad for treatment

Like wise, the Save Enugu Group (SEG) has dismissed the photograph as fake. It said the picture, which has the Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, Amaechi, governors Suswam and Akpabio with Chime, was circulated to media houses on Tuesday by the Enugu State Government.

Consequently, in a recent statement, the co-ordinators of SEG disputed the picture, describing it as “a classic replay of Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s song, Government magic". According to the group, it was no doubt a panic response by the Enugu State Government “to meet our two weeks deadline to reveal the location and health status of our governor.”

The statement signed by Two key Officials of both group, stated: “We have come to the conclusion that the picture posted by the Enugu State Government as having been taken on Tuesday, January 22, 2013, is fake and tells a lie about itself".

“Some of the governors shown on that picture could not have been in London on that day unless they have the gift of bi-location. Secondly and more seriously, if Governor Chime is as fit as shown, what is he still doing away from his duty post for over four months? We choose to believe that our hard working governor is not that irresponsible".

“Again, the telephone conversation reported by a News paper house, has done great injury to that paper. Many of us will remember the Yar’Adua phantom interview with BBC. Is this a replay? We challenge them to play the audio. We all recall the dramatic telephone conversation between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the late Yar’Adua at a campaign rally in 2007 of ‘Umoru, are you dead?’”

Abstract from the Yar' Adua's Jan 12, 2010 BBC Interview:

“At the moment I am undergoing treatment, and I’m getting better from the treatment. I hope that very soon there will be tremendous progress, which will allow me to get back home, As soon as my doctors discharge me, I will return to Nigeria to resume my duties, I wish, at this stage, to thank all Nigerians for their prayers for my good health, and for their prayers for the nation." 

In the wee hour of 24th of February, Yar'Adua was secretly flown back to the Country, and on the 5th of March 2010, 70 days after his controversial return, he was declared dead following a protracted kidney related diseases.

Enugu State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, has been absent from office since September 19, 2012, after he applied to the Speaker of the State Assembly, for a two-week leave; but is yet to resume. 

The Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, was said to have been asked to act in the governor’s absence in the said letter.

Enugu state Acting Governor: Sundsy Onyebuchi

Information reaching us states that the governor is currently getting treatment for cancer in a London hospital and will be back in a couple of weeks.