More than two months after the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma dissolved his first cabinet including the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Barr. C.O.C Akaolisa whose very important office has been vacant since then, the controversial Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba who announced the dissolution of the cabinet has rattled Imolites by saying that Barr C.O.C Akaolisa was not among those sacked by the governor.
Emelumba in a 3-paragraph release he issued yesterday, said “the Imo State government wishes to acknowledge that the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Barr C.O.C Akaolisa, was never among the commissioners dropped when the executive Council was dissolved a few weeks ago.
This error which occurred when I was announcing the commissioners retained by His Excellency the executive Governor of Imo State, Sen Hope Uzodimma, is highly regretted. I accept responsibility for this error.
Consequently, the government has directed that the Hon Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr C.O.C Akaolisa should immediately resume his normal duties as he was never dropped from the state cabinet”.
Some Imolites, amused by the embattled commissioner’s penchant for playing to the gallery, while speaking to this reporter wondered why it took Emelumba and the state government more than two months to realize that the name of the Attorney General and commissioner for justice was erroneously included among those sacked even when the announcement was made repeatedly on the state radio and television stations and also published and circulated in the print and social media respectively.
According to them, “the Attorney General’s office is very strategic in the affairs of governance, moreso, considering the reports of the different panels of enquiry, implementation of the Whitepapers that emanate from them, the recovery and sealing of the old IBC quarters among several other issues that the Attorney General should be involved in, why did it take Emelumba so long to notice the absence of the AG from his duty post. He is being economical with the truth and should be counseled on the need to be a bit more honest and forthright in his communication with Imo people.
“The way and manner Emelumba goes about his job makes mockery of governance, portrays the government as inconsistent and insults the sensibilities of knowledgeable Imo people who can always read between the lines and laugh at his mischievous antics”.
