Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has abruptly fired the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Cyprian Akaolisa, bringing an end to a complicated relationship between the two men.
The announcement came on Monday, May 26, in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation, and Strategy, Chief Declan Emelumba.
Though the statement was brief, the message was clear: Akaolisa was to vacate his office immediately.
“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, Barrister C.O.C. Akaolisa,” the statement read.
It added, “The former commissioner is hereby 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 provided for the dismissal.
Akaolisa, a long-time ally of the governor, was once considered a potential running mate in 2019. But over time, tensions between the two surfaced.
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In a previous cabinet shake-up, Akaolisa’s name was left off the list of reappointed commissioners, sparking confusion. Emelumba later clarified that his omission was not a dismissal.
Beyond the political friction, Akaolisa has also faced legal challenges. In 2021, the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) suspended him from practising law for five years over allegations of professional misconduct.
The committee claimed he used his position to help secure bail for a murder suspect, Paulinus Nwanochie, whom he had represented before taking office. The suspect was on trial for the murder of Alphonsus Akuma in Orsu LGA.
But in April 2025, the Supreme Court overturned that suspension. Justice Mohammed Baba Idris, delivering the lead judgement, said, “Having considered the arguments presented by counsel, the court finds the appeal meritorious and hereby allows it.
“The decision of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee delivered on July 9, 2021, which found the appellant liable for infamous conduct and suspended him from legal practice for five years, is hereby set aside.”
Despite that legal victory, Akaolisa now finds himself out of government, again under unclear circumstances. As of Monday evening, the Imo State Government had not named a replacement.