Imoke not dead, says commissioner

Cross River State Commissioner for Information, Chief Akin Ricketts, has said Governor Liyel Imoke is alive. “There is no iota oftruth in the rumour that Gov. Liyel Imoke is dead,” the commissioner said at a news briefing on Friday in Calabar. Rickett said the governor officiallywrote to the House of Assembly last week that he was handing over to his deputy, Efiok Cobham,to enable him proceed on a two-month accumulated leave. “He is not dead, he is now recuperating. There are strong indications that he will soon return to the country,” Rickett said. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary and Special Assistant onMedia, Mr Christian Ita, had in a statement on December 6 said that Imoke was away on medical grounds. The statement did not disclose the ailment, but explained that Imoke started a two-month accumulated leave on Dec.7. According to the statement, Imoke informed the House of Assembly through a letter to the Speaker, Mr Larry Odey, that Cobham will act for the duration of the leave in line with provisionsof the Constitution of the FederalRepublic of Nigeria.