Governor Chime flown abroad for medical treatment,doubts arise over handover to deputy

Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime has been flown abroad over his failing health.

It was gathered that the governor may be away for weeks to enable him undergo chemotherapy.

The governor, who is suffering from cancer of the nose, travelled on February 4, 2014.

Although, he was in Abuja for the Council of State meeting which held same day at the State House, he could not attend due to his condition.

Earlier on February 2, he hosted a meeting of the South-East Governors’ Forum at the Governor’s Lodge, Enugu.

But there are concerns that Chime may not have transferred power to his Deputy, Sunday Onyebuchi, before the trip, an occurrence that is becoming a norm in Nigeria’s governance.

Yesterday, his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, explained that the governor travelled overseas “as part of his routine medical checkup”.

He however dispelled speculations that his boss would be out of the country for three months.

Chime, upon his return from a four-month medical trip in February last year, told Nigerians that he would be traveling periodically to the United Kingdom (UK) for checkup as directed by his doctors.

Sources say he has traveled to London at least thrice within the past 11 months.