My ordeal at Chime’s hands, by estranged wife

The estranged wife of the Enugu State Governor,Mrs Clara Chime, went on air yesterday and recounted her ordeal in confinement at the Government House,Enugu.

Speaking in Channels Television,Mrs Chime said she “ suffered from depression and the treatment I got from my husband led to it.”

But she denied having mental problem.

Mrs.Chime who has moved out of Government House said she is “now liberated” and thanked Nigerians for their support while her ordeal lasted.

She said: “He (Gov.Chime) accused me of so many things,like he told the whole world that I had mental problem;he told people that my friends are into diabolical stuff.

“I don’t know where he got that from.That is why I don’t know what to say about my husband.

“All I can tell him is that I wish him all the best in this life and the life to come because he is the father of my son.”

She said she was happy to regain her freedom.

“I’m just happy. I just couldn’t believe that one day I would be myself or be happy this way.

“I’ve gained a lot of weight. I’m going to get back to my normal size.It’s the drug that they gave me that caused this.The doctor in the UK told me that it was wrong medication because that is not what I’m suffering from.

“I’m suffering from reactive depression.If your husband is not there for you, nobody is there for you,my dear you will break down.”

Her case blew into the open after she contacted Lagos lawyer, Mr.Femi Falan (SAN), and the National Human Rights Commision (NHRC) to get her out of confinement.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor,Mr.Chukwudi Achife, could not be reached yesterday. His phone was switched off.

The Commissioner for Information,Mr.Chuks Ugwoke, declined comments as he did not watch the programme.But he said government might respond if her comments deserve comments.

Governor Sullivan Chime at an interactive session with newsmen in Enugu in November denied imprisoning her.

He said Clara “has some medical challenges and it would be very unkind of me to talk about her condition on the pages of newspapers.”

He added: “We’ve been battling her health challenges prior to my inauguration in 2011.It was so bad at a time that she had to be taken out of the Governor’s Lodge for treatment.”

He said that some people were out to “exploit her situation to drag me into a needless war of words.”