![Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State. [Facebook]](https://image.api.sportal365.com/process/smp-images-production/pulse.ng/26092024/cc720bc7-f575-46b3-accc-4c8102f91b71?operations=autocrop(1042:580))
)
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has dismissed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister C.O.C. Akaolisa, in a significant shake-up of his administration's legal team.
The Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation, and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, announced the decision in a press statement on Monday, May 26.
The statement noted that the sack takes “immediate effect.” It directed Akaolisa to hand over all government property in his custody to the State Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice.
READ ALSO: Uzodimma presents staff of office to 66 traditional rulers, warns 'We will change you'
)
)
)
Akaolisa’s removal marks the end of a long-standing tenure that began with Governor Uzodinma’s first term in office.
Known to be part of the governor’s inner circle, the former Attorney General played a central role in the administration’s legal affairs and policymaking.
While no official reason was given for the dismissal, it follows another major development in the state judiciary: the removal of Chief Judge Theophilus Nzeukwu.
Nzeukwu was ousted following a recommendation by the National Judicial Council, which reportedly found irregularities in his appointment process.
READ ALSO: Imo community seek Gov Uzodimma’s aid amid deadly natural disaster
Political observers are interpreting the shake-up as part of a broader realignment within Uzodinma’s cabinet.
“This move signals a deep restructuring of the justice sector under the governor’s watch,” a source close to the administration noted.
The government has not yet named a replacement for Akaolisa.
As the administration navigates these transitions, the spotlight remains on Uzodinma’s evolving strategy in consolidating power within the state’s judicial and executive branches.