Outrage over govs’ visit to Chime

civil society groups have slammed the
Nigeria Governors’ Forum for sending a
delegation to visit Governor Sullivan Chime
of Enugu State, who is reportedly receiving
treatment for an undisclosed illness, in
London.
According to them, the governors are
helping Chime to perpetuate has hold on
power by all means.
Chime has been away from the country for
over four months and with the nature of
his illness shrouded in secrecy, there have
been questions about his fitness to govern
the state.
Last week, after months of questions and
criticisms of the governor’s health and the
manner in which his absence was being
handled, a group picture of Chime with
governors Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom,
Gabriel Suswam of Benue, and Rotimi
Amaechi of Rivers states, said to have been
taken in London, went viral on the Internet
and in newspapers.
However, in a statement in Lagos on
Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary,
Ahaji Lai Mohammed, the ACN criticised the
Nigeria Governors’ Forum for the
“choreographed visit”, saying it was
designed to reinforce the line being
peddled by Chime’s supporters rather than
keep the people of the state informed of
the true situation.
While the Chairman, Coalition Against
Corrupt Leaders, Mr. Debo Adeniran,
accused the governors of hypocrisy, Falana
said it was a mere solidarity visit which
failed to satisfy constitutional provisions.
For his part, the Secretary, Joint Action
Force, Mr. Abiodun Aremu, who agreed
that it was a solidarity visit, said the
governors went with the hope that the visit
would be reciprocated if such a fate befell
them in the future.
According to the ACN, the poor handling of
Chime’s reported illness fits into the
growing pattern of shrouding the health
problems of elected officials in secrecy.
It said, “There is no doubt that that the
reason behind all the shenanigans is the
desperation by public office holders to
hold on to power at all costs, even when it
is clear that their health has failed to such
a level that they are better off stepping
down so they can attend to their health
problems.”
The party explained that its main concern
was that the conspiracy of silence being
perpetrated by the state governors who
were reported to have taken ill and
abandoned their duty posts, as well as their
supporters especially the NGF, did not
serve the interest of the country’s
democracy.
It added, ‘’In the case of Governor Chime,
how can a man who is purportedly on
vacation disappear for over 135 days and
the people who voted him into office are
not expected to ask questions?
“Does the constitution provide for such a
long ‘vacation’ without consequences? Is
Governor Chime’s deputy, whom he
reportedly handed over to, given enough
latitude to adequately preside over the
affairs of the state? If not, how has this
affected governance in the state?
“And to what extent have the people of the
state been denied the dividends of
democracy by this unnecessary
controversy?”
According to Falana, the right thing to do is
for the House of Assembly of Enugu State –
and other states where governors have
been absent – to constitute a five-man
panel of medical experts who will
determine the governor’s fitness to
continue to govern.
He said, “It is that panel that will submit a
report after examining the governors
involved to determine whether they are fit
to remain in office. It is not (determined
following) a mere visit by non-qualified
medical personnel. That does not satisfy
the provisions of the constitution.”
While calling on the governors to condemn
the situation in the state and call for the
deputy governor to be sworn in, Adeniran
stressed that the secrecy surrounding the
governor’s health was being motivated by
President Goodluck Jonathan, who had also
refused to disclose details about his wife’s
health.
He said, “People should be able to disclose
their state of health, especially when they
are at the helm of affair in any political
entity. The present President doesn’t also
help matters by the way he handles the
condition of his wife’s health.”
Where the House of Assembly fails to do
the right thing, Aremu said it was up to the
people “to rise in unison and demand for a
leadership that can serve them”.
The ACN, which also accused the governors
of frittering away taxpayers’ money on the
trip to London and creating more
controversy by releasing a picture instead
of providing needed details about Chime’s
condition, urged public office-holders to be
more open about their illness and, if
necessary, cede full power to those
constitutionally empowered to take over.
“It is time we stopped this practice that
only serves the purpose of those who are
hell bent on clinging to power, not
considering the interest of the people who
voted them into office,’’ it said.