Uneasy Calm in Ebonyi
The sudden resignation of the Secretary to the Ebonyi State Government, Benard Obi threatens to upend the state’s politics. Benjamin Nworie explains the controversies
The controversies surrounding the resignation of the former Secretary to Ebonyi State Government, Professor Bernard Odoh have refused to die down almost two weeks after. On Easter Monday, while people were busy having fun, news suddenly broke out that Odoh had resigned. As the news broke out his letter of resignation was already trending on social media.
Since then, the dust has refused to settle down. Every public discourse is directly or indirectly connected to the resignation. Different opinions are being formed on daily basis while many are still wondering over the remote and immediate cause of Odoh’s exit. Though, the state is calm and peaceful, emotions are running high.
Odoh is highly revered in Ezza land, as one of the emerging politicians that can fight for his people. His emergence in politics signalled a new hope for the clan, and that was why the governor, despite not coming from the same political party with him, appointed him SSG after he lost his bid to be sanator on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in 2015, just to appease Ezza people.
As it was a public holiday, the news of Odoh’s resignation must have come to Odoh’s employer and governor of the state, David Umahi as a surprise and through the social media too. Why the SSG chose to resign on a public holiday remains a mystery. This, perhaps explains the reaction of the governor to the development.
The manner in which the Odoh resigned his appointment made a lot of people to be curious. Many even doubted the authenticity of the resignation letter
The curiosity and doubt were based on the gravity of the content of his resignation letter. Every discerning mind doubted that Odoh could author such an ‘abrasive’ letter to his principal. Initially he could not be reached as his phone was not available. However, respite came when he replied THISDAY’s enquiry with the message “SSG resigns” through his Whatsapp.
After reviewing the circumstance surrounding the resignation, Umahi said he had invalidated it and then said he had sacked the former SSG on the ground that he tendered his purported resignation letter on a public holiday which he said was not valid. But many doubted if the governor had the power to nullify someone else’s resignation letter. The governor’s reaction also came as an afterthought because the state government had earlier accepted the resignation.
Umahi said: “In my capacity as the governor of Ebonyi state, I hereby nullify the purported letter of resignation earlier written by Prof. Odoh because he wrote the letter on a public holiday and we all know that by law, any letter of resignation done on a public holiday does not hold water. I also here and now announce his sack as the Secretary to the State Government, SSG.
“I appointed him SSG because I felt he was a responsible Ezza man. Many people faulted his appointment because he was not a PDP member but an APGA senatorial candidate in 2015 general election. Since his appointment, I have shown him love and assisted him in so many ways. I called him to my country home and told him that case of murder is a very serious one, I asked him to see me but he switched off his phone throughout the Easter period and the next thing I heard was his resignation letter flying up and down in the social media”.
Umahi further lamented that despite the love he showed the former SSG even though he was not a member of his political party, the PDP at the time of his appointment, the former SSG still stabbed him at the back.
Shortly after the news broke out, the state government put up an announcement that it had accepted the resignation of the former SSG and wished him well in his future endeavors, and immediately appointed a replacement. The new SSG is the former commissioner for education and also Deputy Director General of David Umahi Divine Mandate Campaign Organization, Dr Hygenus Nwokwu.
The statement from Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Senator Emmanuel Onwe read: “His Excellency, the Governor of Ebonyi state, Engr. David Nweze Umahi has received the resignation letter
from the post of Secretary to the State Government tendered today the 2nd of April 2018 by Professor Bernard Ifeanyichukwu Odoh. The governor thanks Odoh for his service to the state and wishes him well
in his future endeavors. Following from his resignation, the Executive Governor has approved the appointment of Dr Hygenus Nwokwu as the New Secretary to the state Government with immediate effect”.
His resignation was seen as a bold move which may also embolden any other aggrieved appointee to follow suit. Odoh was rumoured to have resigned to prosecute his political ambition. He was said to have expressed frustration with the governor’s inability to fulfil his promise to complete the abandoned Eguho Unity Bridge with stakeholders and traditional rulers accusing the former SSG of not doing anything to attract government’s attention to the deplorable state of the bridge.
However, the resignation letter unsettled many, who felt that it was a betrayal of trust and a show of ingratitude for Odoh to “stab” his benefactor who dared all consequences to appoint him as the state’s scribe in 2015. The opposition parties in the state however commended the former scribe for taking such a bold step.
Though, Odoh’s resignation was perceived y some as a development capable of denting Umahi and party the PDP’s in the next election, Umahi seems unperturbed following the gale of endorsements by all manner of people in the state. Many still believe that Umahi’s reelection would engender equity and power balancing in the state.
A notable group in the state, Ebonyi Unity Forum through its Coordinator, Hon Francis Agwu said that only Umahi’s second term would guarantee power shift to Abakaliki bloc in 2023.
Agwu, who was the former deputy chief press secretary to the governor noted that equity demanded that since former governors in the state ruled for eight years each, the incumbent should be massively supported to complete his second term in office.
Even with the harsh condemnation, observers noted that Odoh’s action has repositioned Ezza clan in its clamour for the senatorial position.
Already, stakeholders from the clan had told the governor that the only bargain for their support was for him to support the clan to get the senatorial slot. Another group, the Ebonyi United for Good Governance also warned that any return ticket to Senator Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi Central) may be suicidal for the PDP in the state, as the Ezza clan would use its numerical strength to fight for the position in another platform no matter whose ox is gored.
The clan noted that without the senatorial seat, it would be annihilated in the 2023 political calculation and permutations, as the governorship position is being touted for the clan. The people said they were ready to forgo one seat in the House of Representatives, provided nobody tampers with the Ebonyi Central Senatorial District’s slot.
However, prior to his resignation, the former SSG cited many grievances against Umahi’s administration. The former state scribe said he took his decision so as to protect his relationship with the governor, stressing that he has more to preserve than occupy the position of the secretary to state government.
Odoh also faulted the governor’s administrative style saying that way the Umahi’s administration had been administered in the past two years did not offer a conducive atmosphere for all members of the state executive council members and himself to sincerely air and express their views on sensitive policy matters.
He said: “In my opinion, this is the highest level of hypocrisy and the values I live do not allow me to operate in such deceptive atmosphere where people live opposite of what/who they are. Having assured you on my inception of office and at several times that I owe you the responsibility to be truthful and honest always, I wish to inform you that all is not well in your administration sir. If you observe carefully, almost all your appointees are nearly completely disconnected from your policy direction as they lack genuine sense of purpose, dignity, clear sense of commitment to decision taken in council because of low morale.
“Once more on behalf of my family, friends and those who worked closely with me for almost three years now, I want to most sincerely again say thank you very much for the rare opportunity you offered me to serve our dear state. My appointment as the Secretary to the State Government is hereby resigned in good faith. I have handed over the status of cabinet office to the most senior staff office, Barrister Ogbonnaya Otta in line with the best practices of service”.
The former SSG further commended the wife of the state governor, Rachel and the entire Umahi’s dynasty for the opportunity and love to serve the state government.
The resignation, worsened by the bitter