War of attrition is now raging at Imo Government House, Owerri, as two top officials of Governor Rochas Okorocha engage in “roforofo” fight which only God knows how and when it will end.
A reliable source told Trumpeta that the Deputy Governor and former Chief of Staff, Prince Eze Madumere and his “brother” and successor Chief Jude Ejiogu are at each others jugular over supremacy battle caused by “misinformation and hangers on”.
Sources informed Trumpeta that the cold war between both top officials came to the open recently after the Deputy Governor returned home from an oversea trip which took him over one month out of his office.
Although Jude Ejiogu was among the first persons to shake the hand of Madumere at the Sam Mbakwe Airport on his arrival, but it was said that Madumere kept a straight face, which those around noticed, but Ejiogu who was smiling never took notice.
But a few days after Madumere’s arrival, a “dirty” publication was circled in the Media where Madumere was praised to high heavens, but Jude Ejiogu was described as a traitor and a mistake by Okorocha to have appointed him to the sensitive position of Chief of Staff.
Immediately the story hit the stands, accusing fingers were pointed at the direction of Madumere as the brain behind the “dangerous” write-up against Ejiogu, or from his “Boys” without him knowing.
It would be recalled that there has been this story going round that Prince Madumere may have fallen out with his benefactor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, following a rumoured guber ambition of the Prince from Achi Mbieri, in Mbaitoli LGA.
The rumour even gained currency, when Madumere became scarce in Government activities, following his sudden trip to United States of America, which constant query from observing public forced Madumere’s publicists to open up that the Deputy Governor went on a routine medical check up to mend a dislocated knee.
Trumpeta learnt that this short trip to USA by Madumere created enough time for Jude Ejiogu to warm himself to the heart of Okorocha, which Madumere’s “spies” at Government House were relaying to him every day overseas.
Matters got to a head when Okorocha, it was learnt, directed a chunk of Madumere’s assignments to Ejiogu, which have remained under the Chief of Staff since Madumere came back from his journey.
But like an organized scenario, the Chief of Staff himself, has traveled overseas immediately after Madumere hit town, which has led tongues to wag that Ejiogu may have tactically withdrawn to let “tension cool” down and for Madumere to settle down after a long holiday.
But independent sources told Trumpeta that Jude Ejiogu is not the issue, but Madumere who was yet to “acclimatize” with his new position, which makes him a Deputy Governor, and not a Chief of Staff who works directly with the Governor every day, morning and night, as the case was with him before.
“You see, Madumere has for long time worked like a Secretary to Owelle even before he became Governor. But today he is a Chief Executive and has to man his own office while others now take care of Owelle’s day to day runs. So, Madumere is still yet to realize that level has changed” a top Imo Government Official told Trumpeta.
Trumpeta learnt that before, as Chief of Staff, Madumere resides inside Douglas House, but now as Deputy Governor, he resides at new Owerri, and feels that he is outside the seat of power, and in now seen as a visitor to the Government House, after working hours, except on Governor’s invitation.
A source told Trumpeta “Madumere either accepts to be Deputy Governor, with all the goodies attached to it or return to office of the Chief of Staff and vacate his office and residence and join Owelle at Douglas House period”.
When Trumpeta contacted the office of the Chief of Staff, Jude Ejiogu, he was said to have traveled outside the state.
A source close to the Deputy Governor, told Trumpeta that there is no power tussle between his Boss and Ejiogu. Asked if he had read the “dirty analysis” against Ejiogu, the source responded in the positive, but said his Boss had no hand in the piece against Ejiogu.
It would be recalled that after the impeachment of the former Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, the erstwhile Chief of Staff to Governor, Okorocha, Prince Eze Madumere became the Deputy Governor, while Jude Ejiogu was drafted from the Chairmanship position of the Local Government Service Commission to take over from Madumere as the Chief of Staff.
Ever since then, there has been this cold war between Ejiogu and Madumere, said to be necessited by Ejiogu’s closeness to the Governor as his immediate staff which rankles Madumere who felt his relationship with Okorocha was developing a “distance”.
Both gladiators come from Owerri Zone. While Prince Madumere is from Mbaitoli LGA, Ejiogu is from Owerri North LGA. It was learnt that 2015 election may be part of the problem heating their relationship. Details on their 2015 election interests next edition.
