Suspended Ebonyi Commissioner Backs Governor Nwifuru, Defends Mass Suspension Over Absenteeism

Barrister Valentine Okike-Uzor, one of the recently suspended commissioners in Ebonyi State, has voiced his support for Governor Francis Nwifuru’s decision to suspend 25 commissioners and 60 other government officials over their absence at an official state function.

Okike-Uzor, who served as the Commissioner for Special Duties and Focal Person for Ebonyi Indigenes in Diaspora, issued a personally signed statement on Saturday in Abakaliki, where he dismissed claims that the suspension was linked to a birthday celebration, as circulated on social media.

According to him, the opposition has been spreading false narratives to mislead the public. “The opposition has resorted to social media to distort the facts, falsely claiming the suspension stemmed from a birthday party. This is completely untrue,” he stated.

He stressed that the governor has the right to designate any engagement as official and expressed regret that some dedicated officials, himself included, were unfortunately caught up in the disciplinary action. However, he acknowledged that several Executive Council members have developed a pattern of skipping or arriving late to state functions.

“It is against protocol to arrive after the governor is seated or to leave while he is still present. Unfortunately, some EXCO members have made this a habit,” he said. “Though some of us rarely miss functions, this time we were caught in the web. We must accept the governor’s decision in good faith because, ultimately, we erred.”

Okike-Uzor concluded by reaffirming his loyalty to Governor Nwifuru and urged others to respect state protocols and leadership.