On Wednesday, the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma during the weekly State Executive Council meeting at Government House Owerri shocked some of his Aides, as he carried out some minor reshuffling of his Cabinet without any notice.
The Governor removed the hitherto Commissioner for Lands, Urban Development, and Physical Planning, Bar Enyinna Onuegbu from the mouthwatering Ministry, and moved him to the strange Ministry of Power.
Hon Noble Atulegwu, formerly of Ministry of Entrepreneurship moved to the sought- after Ministry of Lands.
However, since after the sudden reshufflement, tongues have been wagging as the reason(s) Uzodinma removed Onuegbu, said to be one of the hatchet men that plotted the Uzodinma victory at the Supreme Court, with “Ghana-Must-Go” bags loaded with votes.
Therefore, Onuegbu’s removal has raised some eye brows, causing people to ask if his Principal has fallen out with him by posting him to obscure and quiet Ministry of Power, that sounds as light as the better it is written on.
Why was Onuegbu removed? In the first place, it seemed the Governor arrived at removing Onuegbu just recently, since he few days ago carried out some minor cabinet reshuffle the day he gave portfolio to the four nearly appointed Commissioners.
However, mix reactions trail the latest reshuffle, as it is said that some forces against Enyinna Onuegbu plotted his removal from the lucrative Lands Ministry, as they convinced the Governor.
Onuegbu is said to have been carrying out his job in most professional manner that worried some people, including some of his personal Aides in his office.
However, Onuegbu was accused of using his closeness to the Governor to brag among his colleagues, who then plotted his down fall.
Trumpeta was also told that the friction between Owerri Capital Development Authority, OCDA, and the Ministry of Lands, where both clash over overlapping of duties may have caused Onuegbu his plum job.
This Newspaper was told that at any given day, Governor Uzodinma will ever protect the General Manager (GM) of OCDA Engr Innocent Ikpamezie, who is said to have weathered various storms with Uzodinma, than Onuegbu seen as an opportunist by the core “CampHopers”.
Therefore, much as Onuegbu did well on office, but that cannot be compromised with “clashing with the men and women of Oga” Trumpeta was told.
On the other hands, the likes of Hon Chinasa Nwaneri, who is one of the confidants of the Governor were not too happy with Onuegbu, “as his returns were not regular”.
Meanwhile, some people were seen rejoicing around Drinking spots in Aladinma Estate, Owerri celebrating Onuegbu’s removal, saying that since he assumed office as Commissioner for Lands, he hardly picks calls and abandoned his old friends, pretending to be too busy in office.
“I think now that he is the Ministry of Power, he will have enough time to remember old friends and pick his calls” somebody said among the crowd.
The man who took over from Onuegbu, Hon Atulegwu, who hails from Owerri West LGA, is said to be an appointee from former All Progressive Congress APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshimhole, who facilitated the move that handed APC Imo Guber ticket to Uzodinma as against Chief Uche Nwosu, the preferred candidate of then Governor Rochas Okorocha and Leader of APC in Imo State.
Atulegwu has been quietly moving up in the Hope Uzodinma administration, and will head the Committee set up to investigate the Loots carted away by Rochas Okorocha and family.
