Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has faulted the appointment of Eze Cletus Ilomuayan as the Chancellor of Federal University, Benin Kebbi, by the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan.
The governor, who expressed his strong disapproval in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, on Wednesday, submitted that Jonathan made the appointment in error.
According to Okorocha, the monarch had been deposed a long time ago for allegedly abandoning his throne and administering his kingdom from the Diaspora.
He admitted that it was the prerogative of the President to appoint people, including monarchs, to positions, but argued that Ilomuayan was not qualified for such appointment, having been dethroned.
The statement reads in part, “Looking at the comprehensive list of the appointed Chancellors, they are all traditional rulers from various states of the federation, and such development only authenticated the claim that Mr. President must have erroneously given Ilomuanya the appointment on the perceived notion that he is still a traditional ruler in the state and the Chairman of the State Council of traditional rulers.
“Let us make it abundantly clear that we are not bothered about who gets what from President Jonathan in terms of appointments because as President, he has the legal protection to make a lot of appointments without explanation to anybody or group. But it becomes somewhat disturbing when some of the appointments impugn on the lawful actions of a state government or on the authority of a federating state.
“Ilomuanya had long been removed by the state government as the Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers. And the matter to that effect is still pending at the Supreme Court. He has also been dethroned as the traditional ruler of Obinugwu Autonomous Community and a new traditional ruler had been installed and given a Staff of Office and certificate of recognition for long.”
Okorocha noted that the President had sacked people in certain offices or positions, but wondered why he did not want to respect similar actions by the Imo State Government.
He pointed out that it had also become increasingly worrisome that the President had continued to use Ilomuanya to slight the state government.
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