EMMA OKWUAHABA
For publishing what he considered as damaging to his political ambition, Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan Monday sacked his Special Assistant on Community Newspapers, Chief Omoru David.
Chief Omoru who was appointed last year, following the creation of the office of Special Assistant to the Governor, Community Newspapers, was until his appointment a publisher of a community newspaper, "Synergy".
In a sack letter entitled, "Termination of Appointment," with reference number SGD. 399/T33/124 and signed by Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, and dated 10th May, however gave no reason for the sack.
The letter reads: "I write to inform you that you have been relieved of your appointment as Special Assistant to the governor on Community Newspapers. Consequently, your appointment is hereby terminated with immediate effect. While wishing you the best of luck in your future endeavours, you are by this letter advised to return all government properties in your possession to the Office of Secretary to the State Governor on or before Wednesday, 12 May, 2010. Best regards."
However, our investigation has linked Omoru's sack to a story titled: "Tension in Uduaghan's Camp: Plots to Move to AC" published recently (in April) in his newspaper, Synergy.
The governor was said to have been enraged by the publication, which suggested that thousands of the governor's loyalists are now in disarray over reports that the governor was contemplating decamping to the Action Congress (AC).
The report said Uduaghan was seriously considering decamping to the Action Congress if he is denied the People's Democratic Party (PDP) ticket, which brought him to power in 2007.
"We also have it from grapevine that the alleged moves are part of plan B of the governor, who is said to have calculated very well and arrived at the answer that should the PDP deny him a return ticket for the 2011 gubernatorial polls, he would pluck it on the platform of the AC and from there, fly their flag to the elections," the paper reported.
When we contacted Omoru to seek his reaction, the Journalist said, though he received the news with shock, but that he took the development without any ill feelings, adding that after all, the one (the governor) who gave him the appointment, has the right to hire and fire. I have nothing against the governor. All I ask for is good governance in the State.
Asked his next line of action as to whether he would take any legal action since he was not given any notice of the sack, Omoru said he would not take any legal action.
"No need to take any legal redress. In the system we operate when you are a governor, you have the right to hire and fire. I wish the government well. I am a Journalist. I have a newspaper which I publish. I will go back to my people, the Journalists".
No comments:
Post a Comment