By Tony Edike

Enugu — The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, Mr. Chukwudi Achife, has described as ‘’bewildering, and bemusing,’’ claims that the state government was waging an unrelenting war of attrition and unhidden threats against the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

The Greater Awgu Forum and the Special Adviser to Ekweremadu on Projects, Bethel Onyenyiri, had claimed in some paid advertisements in a section of the press that Governor Chime planned to sabotage or destroy some projects attracted to Enugu West senatorial district, among other things.

However, Achife, who reacted to the allegations, described them as not only baseless and fallacious but smacked of “paranoia and hysteria” on the part of those behind them.

He noted that contrary to the claims of the group, Governor Chime had ironically, for the past few months, been the one at the receiving end of a sponsored smear campaign in the press via articles written by shadowy figures, adding that the identity and intentions of those behind the articles were now becoming clear.

His words: “The claims of Greater Awgu Forum against Governor Chime can only be described as bewildering and bemusing. The allegations are not only baseless and completely fallacious but the tone in which they were made, smacks of desperation, paranoia and hysteria on the part of those behind them.”

“Governor Chime has no time to wage any war against anyone. He is the father of Enugu State and certainly cannot abandon his spirited and universally acclaimed drive to bring about the total transformation of the state, to prosecute such a phantom and unnecessary cause as being claimed.

‘’If anything, he is the one who, for the past few months, has weathered a spate of obviously sponsored attacks in the media to continue his splendid and unprecedented works in Enugu State. It is obvious that those behind those attacks failed in their bid to create the war they now allege.’’

Achife further described as “astonishing and beyond belief” the claims by the group that the governor was trying to sabotage projects attracted by Senator Ekweremadu and challenged the group to mention the said projects and show how the governor intended to sabotage them.

“It is obvious that this is another desperate but futile attempt to distract Governor Sullivan Chime and drag him into a needless war.

“But I can assure you that he is fully focused on his job and none of these things can move him. It is proven,” he said.