Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi

Ebonyi politician says life in danger after resigning SSG Job

Former Secretary to Ebonyi State Government, Bernard Odoh, has said his life is in danger after resigning his position on Monday.

Odoh said in his letter that was made available to Discover Africa News that he knew the dire “consequences of his action” (resignation) but he accepted to take that bold step since his principal had lost confidence in him as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG)

“I am fully aware of the consequences of my action knowing fully well that you will go after me, my immediate family, my friends and those who served with me in line with your principles of ‘crushing’ and ‘grinding’ whoever  that differs with your ideologies and aspirations  as has been demonstrated in recent times”, Odoh addressed the State Governor, Dave Umahi.

Odoh handed in his resignation letter on Monday but Governor Umahi rejected the resignation on Tuesday, insisting that Odoh had been sacked and would face prosecution.

Umahi told Odoh’s kinsmen that the resignation was null and void since it tendered during a public holiday

“On Monday, he sent me a text that his health was failing him and that he was going to resign and he will let me know. Before you knew it, I started hearing and seeing that he has resigned on social media. So, I am nullifying the acceptance that was done by government officials, including the appointment of his replacement because they were all done on public holiday,” an online source quoted Umahi.

The state government earlier accepted Odoh’s resignation but the Governor later cancelled the acceptance, saying that Odoh was trying to evade a brewing murder case:

 “I had called him on Saturday and said my son, murder case is very bad and we are doing investigation. I want you to come and see me so I can speak with you and advise you as a father and he agreed.

“Initially, he was denying that there was no problem, but towards the end of our discussion he said to me that he would like to make one or two comments but I said when you come you can make them. So, he switched off his phone till Monday.

“But by the powers conferred on me as the governor of the state, I hereby announce the sack of Prof Odoh as SSG and the investigation about meddling in murder case must be carried out thoroughly,” the governor said.

Umahi also said Odoh was wrong to have said that Ebonyi state government did not take care of civil servants: “Go and check, if we are not the first in the payment of civil servants in the state, we will be the second. Go and find out, I challenge people all the time on this because we have the data.

“It is this state that gratuity of retired civil servants have never been paid until we came on board, now we have paid 40 percent of the gratuities to them. No Civil Servant is being owed salary and allowances,” he added.