As the administration of Owelle Rochas Okorocha approaches its one year in office in few weeks time, one of the key political office holders and secretary to the state government, (SSG), Prof Anthony Gozie Anwuka may not survive another year in office following a court case asking the state Governor to relieve him of the SSG appointment.
In a bid to maintain a clean state and keep out of unnecessary controversies, the Okorocha regime may consider dropping the SSG from the Exco to avoid further litigation on avoidable issues.
A non – governmental organization, the Incorporated Trustees of Every Child Educational Advancement Foundation had dragged the state Governor and Attorney General and commissioner for justice to an Owerri High Court seeking among other things a declaration of the court directing the Governor, Owelle Okorocha to disengage from “her services all those who were indicted in the said White Paper of the Imo state University.
It would be recalled that sometime in April 2008, pursuant to section 16 of the Imo state University law, the Governor of Imo state set up a visitation panel into the affairs of the University from 2004 to 2008 under the Chairmanship of Justice S.A Nsofor, JCA, Rtd. The panel among other issues raised indicted the present Imo SSG, Prof Anwukah who was a former Vice – Chancellor of the institution. The committee’s report adopted as government White Paper in section 43.2 frowned at the level of fraud allegedly perpetrated by the former V.C Prof A.G Anwuka as un – earthed by the panel” in paragraph (ii) “ Government directs the governing council of IMSU to recover immediately from Prof A.G Anwuka, the sum of N3.8m being the value of the brand new Mercedez Benz 15 – seater bus he took away without approval on completion of his tenure as vice – chancellor” and in (iii) it directs that the governing council should retire Anwuka from the services of the University with immediate effect, even as the report further stated that “the panel was not at all satisfied with the explanation he (Anwukah) gave as how he “acquired the fabulous house he resides at Akanchawa Rd, Owerri, Particularly given the fact that he also owns several other buildings in Owerri and Uli, Anambra state, all acquired within the past ten years”, the White Paper went further to state that Prof Anwuka “Single – handedly terminated police investigation into the forged school fees receipt scandal involving some bursary staff, thereby shielding the culprits from possible persecution, he should be dismissed from the University”
Disturbed that a person indicated by a probe panel and listed under government White Paper was appointed to hold public office as SSG, the NGO, duly registered in Nigeria aimed at protection of education of children and youths, and fighting anything that will militate against their full educational and upbringing went to court to ask for a declaration that the 1st defendant (Governor) appointment of persons who were indicated in the said White Paper dated June 2009 into position of authority is unconstitutional, illegal, immoral, null and void and of no effect, and whether the 1st defendant (Governor) is not bound to implement the recommendation of the visitation panel and accepted by the Imo state government through a White Paper dated June 2009 is not unconstitutional, Illegal, Immoral, null and void and of no effect.
Next hearing for the matter which is before Justice Ngozi Opara is on Wednesday June 6, 2012.
Feelers within Government House Owerri indicate that Prof Anwuka may be saying bye to his exalted position as the Governor is said not to be comfortable with several court cases against his administration.
He may therefore sacrifice Anwuka to salvage his integrity of his regime.
