Anambra Governor, Prof Charles Soludo, has denied claims that his Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Ifeatu Onejeme, resigned over a disagreement between them.
Onejeme announced his resignation on Thursday during the state executive council meeting. He had been praised by the governor for his service over the years, having previously served under former governor Willie Obiano.
Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Christian Aburime, said it was not true there was a disagreement between the governor and the former commissioner.
Aburime told newsmen that Onejeme resigned because he wanted to reunite with his United States-based family, which he left behind when he became a commissioner nine years ago.
“He has remained a very committed and dedicated person, both to the state government and to the Anambra people.
His resignation is very touching, and Mr Governor commended him because of what he brought to bear in his government, and there is no story of any disagreement as was reported by some local blogs.
“As we speak now, a party is being held in his house by members of the exco, and that shows you how much he was appreciated and valued by his colleagues in the exco.
“He was very well valued by the governor, and his resignation is painful to the governor, but again you know he had good resins to resign, and you see that Mr Governor went out of his way to write him a commendation letter, which is very rare,” he told Hobnob News .
A source also confirmed that Onejeme’s resignation was based on his family’s yearning for him to return to the US.
You know that Onejeme is an authority in finance matters. He was poached back home by former Governor Willie Obiano. He was the major pillar of Obiano’s policies on economy. Soludo retained him, and he was among the respected voices in the exco.
“But you see, he has been in Anambra for close to 10 years now, having served Obiano for eight years and Soludo for one and half years. We heard his wife was pressuring him to return to the family in US, with thoughts that he may even have married another wife in Nigeria. These were the reason he resigned,” the source said.
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