Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state on Friday sacked with immediate effect the secretary to the state government (SSG), Chief Jude Ejiogu.

Ejiogu who until his sack was one of the most influential functionaries in the state became the SSG when Professor Anthony Anwukah was appointed minister of state for education.

The sack apparently came as a shock not just to Ejiogu but to many observers and functionaries of the state government.

Ejiogu was in the company of the governor on Thursday, March 17, when they commissioned the ultra-modern Owerri Mall housing and a Shoprite outlet.

Same Thursday evening, Ejiogu represented the governor at the Imo State University Alumni dinner and apparently did not foresee his sack.

Government House sources also said that the SSG was at the governor’s Spibat home Friday morning not too long afterwards the state-owned radio house, Orient FM, announced his sack.

Meanwhile, Governor Rochas Okorocha was at Chatham House March 9 to give a speech but he was greatly embarrassed by pro-Biafrans. Okorocha’s free education programme from primary to University level and his concerted effort at Human Capital Development Initiatives in the state had occasioned the interest of the London based Chatham House to invite him to talk on the referenced topic.