The reason why the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha sacked six members of the State Executive Council in one fell swoop has been unveiled.
It would be recalled that last Wednesday, after the State Executive Council meeting, Okorocha relieved the Six Commissioners of their positions.
Those affected are Chief Ejike Uche (Public Utilities and Rural Development) Nze Ogueri Enwerem (Commerce and Industry) Dr Obinna Duruji (Information and Strategy) Mr Ogwazuo (Culture and Tourism) Nelson Ezerioha (Transport) and Mrs Chioma Ogueke (Housing and Urban Development).
The Governor has also forwarded six names to the House of Assembly for clearance. They are Mr Chinedu Offor, Ichie Uche Mbanaso, Lady Nnanna Okoro, Mr Chima Iwuchukwu, Mr Emma Ekweremba and Prince Charles Onuoha.
However, information available to Imo Trumpeta indicates that the dropped Commissioners were accused of many things ranging from high handedness, misapplication and appropriation of funds, non performance to selfishness.
For instance, the former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Ogwazuo was said to have been lost in the scheme of things as he could not perform because the job seemed too big and overwhelmed him.
Ogwazuo is said to have performed so poorly that he could not command respect among the staff and looked out of place among his colleagues.
“You cannot believe he is a Commissioner in a sophisticated state like Imo, as if there are no other people any more in the State. Ogwazuo was a mediocre and performed poorly” a source told this Newspaper from Government House.
For Dr Obinna Duruji, he was said to have incurred the wrath of Okorocha with the manner he was handling the revitalization policy of Imo State owned Media Houses, preferring the appointment of stooges and relations in top positions, without caring whether such people can perform or not.
He was accused of also mishandling the face – off between the State Government and the Nigerian Union of Journalists in the State.
Our source also said Duruji’s coffin was nailed following an unfortunate incident that took place at Nsu Tiles Company, which Okorocha felt bad about.
“Ordinarily, Duruji was doing well in his propaganda for government, but the problem was his person conduct which many petitioned the Governor about. Till date only Duruji knew where he recruited some of the staff of Imo owned media houses” Imo Trumpeta was told.
Ogueri Enwerem was said to have mishandled the Area K land dispute which pitted the government against the people of Owerri community. He was also accused of having tampered with the land allocation data in the Ministry, for which most workers in the Ministry still feel pained and ready to undo him with facts and figures.
It is not yet clear while Okorocha dumped Ezerioha, as the young man was close to Okorocha and doing well in his office. However, a source told Imo Trumpeta that recently, Ezerioha started exhibiting high class living, which his detractors got envious about and whispered it to Okorocha, who detests open showing of wealth by his Aides.
For Mrs Ogueke, she was said to have no focus, and does not know her job and also played to the gallery and had no grip of her responsibility as a Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development.
The Governor is said to have lost patient with Ejike Uche, whom he had given chance in various Ministries as Commissioner to perform at no avail.
It was learnt that the Governor has also reshuffled his Special Advisers SAs and Seniour Special Assistants SSAs, which would be made public next week.
This latest development has put all the appointees on their toes. Although there are those said to be untouchables, these are those closely related to the Governor and the Agbasos. They include the Health Commissioner, Dr Obi – Njoku, who is an uncle to Chief Martin Agbaso, and Sports, and Land Commissioners who are Owelle’s prodigees.
Meanwhile, some members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are said to be lobbying Gov Okorocha to include their names in the list of the new Special Advisers to be released by the Governor soon, since he had already sent names to fill the vacant Commissioner positions.
According to a source from Government House, most top PDP members who can not withstand the economic crunch in the State are seen daily begging to be given positions, as low as Personal Assistants to Commissioners and other appointees.
“As I speak to you, some past appointees in the Ohakim administration are begging everyday. Recently, one of them was appointed a PA to a Commissioner and he accepted with happiness” the source said.
