The Imo State Commissioner for Information, Hon Declan Emelumba has come under serious attack by mainly Imo Journalists and women,including Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
Some female journalists who spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity accused Emelumba of fighting a personal war against the Chairman of the National Association of Women Journalists, Mrs Vivian Ottih.
They wondered how any family man would want to treat a nursing mother the way and manner Ottih is being treated by Emelumba, using IBC Director General. “We are shocked that Emelumba sees nothing wrong with the fact that IBC staff are owed a total of four (4) months salary and has done nothing but feeding Imo people with lies. Suspension of Ottih is unacceptable to us and we want the governor of Imo state to call Emelumba to order before he runs his government aground”, they stated.
Speaking further, they said that even though they know that the commissioner of Information is feigning ignorance of the circumstances that led to the suspension of Ottih, they know what transpired, adding that “in due time, we shall unravel the issues for Imo people to know the crop of politicians we have in the state”.
The IBC staff who for fear of being suspended like their colleague, pleaded anonymity narrated how some of their colleagues were forced to sign a document against Ottih. They described Emelumba’s action as despotic and advised IBC staff to be warry of his antics, saying “this is not the first commissioner that we have met in Imo and we can’t keep quiet and allow him to mess us up. A lot of our staff have been given quit notice by their landlords. Some cannot even feed but here we have a colleague who is a Commissioner who instead cares less of what is happening.
Efforts to reach Emelumba for his reaction to the scathing remarks proved abortive, as he outrightly snubbed our reporter, giving credence to accusation of arrogance against him by his colleagues who regret his highhandedness and inconsiderate disposition.
