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Valentine Okike-Uzor, the suspended commissioner for Special Duties in Ebonyi State, has justified his suspension and that of 86 other officials by Governor Francis Nwifuru.
The suspension
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Nwifuru suspended 87 government officials on Monday.
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The governor, in a statement by his spokesperson Monday Uzor, had claimed the officials were suspended for not attending an ‘important government function’ last weekend.
This newspaper would later learn that the ‘important government function’ was actually a burial ceremony of the mother of one of the governor’s kins and friends, Innocent Elechi Ojiugwo.
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Of the 87 suspended officials, 25 are commissioners, 14 senior special assistants, 24 special assistants, and 22 permanent secretaries.
‘Habitual absence’
In a statement on Friday, Mr Okike-Uzor, who is also the Focal Person for Ebonyi Indigenes in Diaspora, argued that the suspension was because of the alleged habitual absence of the officials from government functions.
The suspended commissioner dismissed claims suggesting that the suspension was due to failure of the officials to attend a birthday party.
He described the claims as misleading and mischievous, accusing opposition voices of spreading falsehoods online.
“Opposition voices have taken to social media to twist the facts and post lies about the official engagement that led to the suspension of some state officials, myself included.
“Some claimed it was a birthday party, while others pushed various shades of falsehood to suit their mischief. These claims are untrue. The suspension was not because of a birthday celebration as reported online,” he said.
Mr Okike-Uzor emphasised that it is the governor’s prerogative to designate any engagement as official.
“Once the governor designates an event as official, that’s final. He doesn’t need to consult any book to do that. It is his exclusive discretion,” he said.
The suspended commissioner acknowledged that while some officials were unfortunate to be affected in the latest decision, many had developed the habit of absenting themselves from key state functions, despite repeated calls by the governor for full participation.
“Some officials just show up briefly and sneak out, even while the governor is still present. Others arrive at events after the governor is already seated or leave before he departs. These actions are clearly against government protocol,” he stated.
‘Punishment is necessary’
Mr Okike-Uzor stressed that the suspension was unfortunate, but such punishment was necessary
“It’s unfortunate that a few who rarely miss government functions were caught in this particular web, but we must accept the punishment in good faith. We erred,” he said.
He praised Governor Nwifuru’s leadership style, describing him as patient, accommodating, and a servant-leader.
“Governor Nwifuru is the only governor who would tolerate such an attitude for this long. Not because he is weak, but because he believes in building Ebonyi together.
“He finds it difficult to punish people; he prefers to correct. He has been very encouraging and patient with members of his executives,” he added.
The suspended commissioner argued that the governor does not condone irresponsibility and that the suspension was a fair response to a serious breach of duty.
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“Not attending government functions is a major breach of trust and responsibility. The proper sanction could have been more severe.
“Other governors might have simply dismissed the affected officials outright. But Governor Nwifuru chose the path of discipline with compassion – a carrot-and-stick approach, like a father nurturing his children,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to disregard misleading reports on the matter and focus on the facts.
“Let us not contribute to spreading misinformation. The circulating online narratives are baseless conjectures and do not represent the true situation,” he stated.
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