These are not good times for the governor of Enugu State, Barrister Sullivan Chime. The governor’s health has served unpleasant dish to his ability to administer the role of governor to the State.
Last year in February, ill health resulted in the governor’s absence from the governor’s house for over 140 days. He had traveled to the United Kingdom for urgent medical attention. Upon his return, the governor acknowledged he had cancer of the nose. Since the governor’s return, he has had to return to the United Kingdom several times for medical attention.
Among the many trips to the medical facility was the recent trip of February 4, 2014.
Information available to 247ureports.com obtained from competent sources near Sullivan Chime reveal that the February 4, 2014 trip to United Kingdom was not in relation to the noise cancer. The information indicated that the governor had gone to the United Kingdom for an open heart surgery [bypass] to repair and to replace leaking valves. A source revealed that the governor had the surgery on Thursday February 6, 2014 – a procedure which lasted 8 hours. He was supposed to remain in United Kingdom for a period of at least 3months before embarking on a journey to return to Enugu state government house.
But the governor had to act against Doctor’s orders – in that – he had to return to the government house at Enugu before the expiration of twenty one [21] days in order not to contravene the constitutional requirement which states that “In the event that the Governor is unable or fails to transmit the written declaration mentioned in sub-section (1) of this section within 21 days, the House of Assembly shall, by a resolution made by a simple majority of the vote of the House, mandate the Deputy Governor to perform the functions of the office of the Governor as Acting Governor, until the Governor transmits a letter to the Speaker that he is now available to resume his functions as Governor [Section 190 Subsection 2].” The governor had failed to transmit the aforementioned letter to the state assembly.
Our source pointed to a history of weak heart on the part of the governor. He pointed to the numerous collapses by the governor in public functions as symptoms of a faulty heart. He stated that the governor was always aware of his heart condition. “He knew that one day he will have to perform the surgery”, said the source who continued that the governor was caught off-guard by the recent spell that required the surgery as the only remedy.
The governor’s lifestyle of excessive consumption of alcohol and cigarettes is reported to have exacerbated the governor’s heart condition.
Since returning from the open heart surgery, the governor is said to have curtained his public appearance to near zero. He did not attend the President visit to Imo State – either was he present when the President visited Onitsha accompanied by other south east governors. Our source expects that the governor would not be present at the flag off of the 2nd River Niger Bridge on Monday March 10, 2014 by the President of the federal republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan.
Presently, the governor is said to have flown in physicians and medical experts from across the globe to attend to his medical needs until he regains his fitness to resume the daily activities of administering governance to the people of Enugu.
Until then, Sullivan Chime remains a recovering patient at his home.
The governor’s office was contacted but they failed to respond. Text messages and telephone calls placed to the chief press secretary, Chukwudi Achife, were not responded to.
