Uzodimma sacks Cyprian Akaolisa as Imo attorney-general

Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo state, has sacked Cyprian Akaolisa as the state’s attorney-general and commissioner for justice.

Akaolisa’s removal was communicated on Monday in a statement signed by Declan Emelumba, the Imo state commissioner for information, public orientation and strategy.

The governor directed Akaolisa to hand over all government property under his care to the solicitor-general and the permanent secretary in the ministry of justice.

“The governor of Imo state, his excellency, senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, has approved the immediate removal from office of the state attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Barr C.O.C Akaolisa,” the statement reads.

“The erstwhile commissioner has been directed to hand over all government property under his care to the state solicitor general and permanent secretary, ministry  of justice, immediately.”

No official reason was given for the removal.

In May 2021, Uzodimma sacked Akaolisa and 19 other commissioners, leaving eight other commissioners.

However, in August 2021, the information commissioner announced that the governor never sacked Akaolisa — who was at that time under a five-year ban from law practice by the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.

“The Imo state government wishes to acknowledge that the attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Barr C O C Akaolisa, was never among the commissioners dropped when the executive council was dissolved a few weeks ago,” Emelumba had said. 

“This error, which occurred when I was announcing the commissioners retained by his excellency, the executive governor of Imo state, Sen Hope Uzodimma, is highly regretted. I accept responsibility for this error.

“Consequently, the government has directed that the Hon. attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Barr C.O.C Akaolisa, should immediately resume his normal duties as he was never dropped from the state cabinet.”