Kogi: Acting governor sacks all political appointees

The acting Governor of Kogi State, Rt. Hon. Abdullahi Bello, has announced the sack of all political appointees in the state with immediate effect.

Bello directed the political appointee to handover to the civil servant who is next in seniority to them in their various ministries, parastatals and establishments.

Bello in a statement he personally signed, said that he had heard of plots to destabilize his government by some people who claimed that he had resigned his appointment as governor.

He said: “The attention of the Kogi State Government has been drawn to a calculated plot to destabilize and cause a breach of peace in the state.

“Part of the design is to undermine the office of the Acting Governor, by spreading falsehood that he has relinquished his position.

“Accordingly, Government wish to state that the said story is untrue, unimaginable and totally unfounded.

“Government wish to place on record that, the position of an Acting Governor is not a creation of any form of political conjecture but a product of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Furthermore, Government wish to state, that, the Acting Governor was administered with the Oath of office by the Chief Judge of  Kogi State on the 27/01/2012, in line with the letters of the Constitution.

“Government wish to assure the people of Kogi State that the Acting Governor will not submit himself to any act that will be deemed to be an affront on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Bello then went on to announce the sack of the political appointees: “By this public announcement, the State Government hereby relieves the Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff and all other political appointees of their appointments with immediate effect.  The affected officers are to hand-over all government properties in their possession to the Permanent Secretary or the most senior staff in their respective ministries or departments.

“Finally, government directs all security agencies in the state to provide adequate security measure for the protection of lives and property.”

The acting Governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, was the first to take such a step yesterday.

Fintiri made the announcement via a statement signed by the newly appointed Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Abdullahi Liman.

Liman said in the statement: “They are hereby directed to hand over government property in their custody to their respective permanent secretaries and other appropriate officers within the government establishments.

“All permanent secretaries are also, by this announcement, directed to take full charge of all government assets in their respective ministries.”