Governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime on Wednesday clarified reports of problems between him and his wife that have recently become the subject of media attention.
Speaking with journalists in Enugu, Chime maintained that despite the ongoing campaign of calumny against him, he would continue to protect the integrity of his wide, adding that she has certain medical challenges that he won’t find palatable discussing on the pages of newspapers.
“I have done everything to protect her integrity and I am not now going to expose her to ridicule because some people want to exploit her situation to drag me into a needless war of words”, Chime said.
“We’ve been battling this prior to my inauguration in 2011. It was so bad at a time that she had to be taken out of the Governor’s Lodge for treatment. When she stabilised, I pleaded with her doctors if she could be brought back here to be receiving her treatment at home and they graciously accepted”.
The governor revealed that at a time, she remained indoors and stayed away from her phones and laptop on the advice of her doctors. This advice, he explained, is exactly what he was following with her current confinement to the Government House, as her doctor who was at the briefing could confirm.“Why would I want my wife locked up?” he asked. “If it had been that I had issues with her, there are many ways to resolve them. But that’s not the case. She is not well and I’m willing to do anything to support and protect her.
“It was always more convenient for me to have taken the easier route but that would have been very callous and ungodly. When I had my own health challenge, I was receiving treatment in London and thinking about her, making sure she received the right treatment.
I’m forever grateful to her doctors who have done a great job. Both families are billed to meet very soon and after that, I’ll take a decision which will be in the interest of both parties”.
Chime also used the occasion to react to reports that popular lawyer and former Chairman of the West African Bar Association (WABA), Chief Femi Falana had petitioned Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar on the matter.
“He’s my professional colleague but sometimes you leave people to their conscience”, Chime said.
“I won’t join words with him. Has he met this client of his as he claimed, to assess her state of mind and determine if she can give him the right brief to guide his case? Did he ask for access to her or to me and was denied? I leave it at that.
“That’s the penalty you face as a public officer. When I was receiving treatment in London, some of the newspapers reported that I had died in India. I’ve never been to India and had never applied for an Indian visa. Today, the story is that I’ve imprisoned my own wife in my residence. I know their motives but I wish those behind such wicked tales well”.
The governor’s wife, Clara Chime was present at the briefing, and she denied petitioning the National Human Rights Commission for being unlawfully detained by her husband. Also, Clara denied requesting the services of Falana or any other lawyer for that matter to secure her freedom from detention at the Enugu Government House. Clara kept mum for long but finally spoke after persuasion from her brother, Mr Tony Igwe, and the governor.
“You [pointing at the governor] and my doctor can speak on my behalf.”
The governor responded, saying he would ordinarily speak for her; but having been accused of detaining her, he wanted her to speak for herself on all the accusations, including the one that her doctor is scared of the governor and prescribes all kinds of drugs to her even against her wish.
But Clara simply said: “My doctor and I don’t have any problem.”
She also denied engaging Falana to secure her release from any sort of detention, saying all she did was write her doctor, Dr. Agumuo, and another doctor overseas, but expressed surprise at how the letter was leaked to the public.
She added, though, that when she had a serious crisis, she was confined to a room without access to her telephone and laptop. However, she lamented that she was prevented from going out except when she wants to attend mass on Sundays.
