Vunderkind
Social Member
Governor Sullivan Chime, Governor of Enugu State
He said during a press conference in Enugu: “I wanted the best for her and that’s why I pleaded with the doctors to have her treated at home,” he stated during a press conference in Enugu. “That’s also why I allowed her access to her telephone and laptop which unfortunately led to the stage where I’m now being falsely accused of imprisoning or detaining my own wife.”
He said that his wife has “some medical challenges and it would be very unkind for me to talk about her condition on the pages of a newspaper. I’ve done everything to protect her integrity and I’m not now going to expose her to ridicule because some people want to exploit her situation to drag me into a needless war of words.”
His wife, Clara Chime, was at his side during the conference, and he said that his wife’s health condition has been something of an issue before his 2011 inauguration.
In a report made by SaharaReporters a week ago, Mrs. Chime begged Human Rights Activists to come rescue her from the psychiatrists in charge of her, Dr. Onwuke and Dr. Agumuo. According to her, the psychiatrists prescribed “all kinds of drugs that ends up keeping me acute depressed and also drives me into hallucinations.”
When given a chance to speak for herself at the conference, the first lady of Enugu state refused to say something. Even after much persuasion from Tony Igwe, her elder brother, she refused to speak. After a while, she obligingly said “You (and by this she was referring to the governor, her husband) and my doctor can speak on my behalf.)”
The governor politely replied to that, saying: “Yes, I’m your husband and should ordinarily do so but you know I’m the one being accused of detaining you. This way, I’ve lost that privilege to speak for you, at least on this case. The story out there also is that your doctor is probably scared of me and gives you all kinds of drugs, sometimes against your wish.”
Mrs. Chime’s rejoinder was terse: “My doctor and I don’t have any problem.”
She admitted, however, that she was once confined to one room without access to her laptop. “That was when I had a serious crisis,” she said.
She also said that she has the key to her room and can leave and enter the room whenever she likes, contrary to claims that she was locked up in the room. Her dissatisfaction came from the fact that she wasn’t allowed to leave the premises. It was learned, however, that she did attend last Sunday’s Mass.
The governor also added that ““All I want to reassure you is that she is safe here. Her confinement within the premises for now is at the instance of her doctor who is here. Why would I want my wife locked up? If it had been that I had issues with her, there are many ways to resolve them. But that’s not the case. She is not well and I’m willing to do anything to support and protect her.
“It was always more convenient for me to have taken the easier route but that would have been very callous and ungodly. When I had my own health challenge, I was receiving treatment in London and thinking about her, making sure she received the right treatment. I’m forever grateful to her doctors who have done a great job. Both families are billed to meet very soon and after that, I’ll take a decision which will be in the interest of both parties.”
The governor described the stories spreading about his wife as one of the prices he must pay for being a public officer, recalling a certain episode when he was receiving treatment in London and newspapers reported that he had died in India.
To this he said, “I’ve never been to India and had never applied for an Indian visa. Today, the story is that I’ve imprisoned my own wife in my residence. I know their motives but I wish those behind such wicked tales well.”
He, however, did not reveal who these people are, or their motives.