A traditional ruler in Rivers State, Eze Ohna Sergeant Chidi Awuse, has accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of removing him from his position as chairman of the Traditional Rulers’ Council while he was seriously ill.
Bellnews reports that Fubara removed Awuse on June 21 from his position as Chairman of the Rivers Traditional Rulers Council.
The governor accused Awuse, who was appointed by his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, of inactivity and absence of effective leadership of the council under his watch.
The monarch was subsequently replaced with the Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom, Eze Chike Worlu Wodo.
Speaking on the development, Awuse decried the aspersions cast on him by the governor.
He said he spent six months in critical condition.
Eze Awuse, who is from Emohua Local Government Area, spoke at the weekend during a visit from Wike.
Wike led a delegation of his political family to his palace to rejoice with him for surviving a debilitating ailment.
Recalling his sacrifices as a first class traditional ruler during the making of Fubara as a governor, the monarch said he backed his candidacy and followed the campaigns to the 23 local government areas of the state.
Awuse said: “I never went out of this state without telling my governor; not just once; all written; all acknowledged. So, when somebody said he didn’t know where I went to, I was surprised unless there was another chairman other than me.
“He was my candidate. I took him as my candidate. All the people running around him today, none of them showed face. I am the only traditional ruler, first class, that followed that campaign from local government to local government and I went to every local government.
“In most of the local government areas I mounted the rostrums to speak for him because I trusted him. I was the main one. But today in the house of politics, you see the good the bad and the ugly. Anyone that falls into your hand you take.
“I was sacked from my seat the day I was in ICU. I was in coma for 10 hours. I told only him (Wike) because everybody rejected me.
“The government I was serving rejected me. People have the mind to say I will support the governor to the fullest. Why won’t you support him to the fullest when you did not contribute to his being there.
“I am learning how to stand up because I was in ICU six weeks with gadgets all over my body fed through my nose. And you (Fubara) told people when I was in ICU that I was a man of questionable character.
“You said Sergeant Awuse, I am not steady. That is one quality I don’t deserve. Call me any other name but I am a steady human being.”