Nigeria, Aug. 2 -- Valentine Okike-Uzor, the suspended commissioner for Special Duties in Ebonyi State, has justified his suspension and that of 86 other officials by Governor Francis Nwifuru.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Nwifuru suspended 87 government officials on Monday.

The governor, in a statement by his spokesperson Monday Uzor, had claimed the officials were suspended for not attending an 'important government function' last weekend.

This newspaper would later learn that the 'important government function' was actually a burial ceremony of the mother of one of the governor's kins and friends, Innocent Elechi Ojiugwo.

Of the 87 suspended officials, 25 are commissioners, 14 senior special assistants, 24 special assistan...