Facts emerged early Sunday on why the Abia State Executive Council was abruptly dissolved by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on Saturday, as state commissioners were preparing to refill their stocks at the end of January 2021 after some huge spending during Christmas and New Year festivities.
A source at the Abia seat of power revealed that the governor wanted to rejig, reinvigorate and strengthen his administration to meet the challenges of present time and also to use the opportunity to weave out unproductive and crafty personnel with doubtful loyalty in the Cabinet.
Lately, there have been reports of subterranean meetings amongst some commissioners with the opposition, prompting one of them to allegedly question why he should apologize to any individual, including the governor for meeting with the Chief Whip of the Senate and APC chieftain, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu in his (the former’s) country home two weeks ago.
This effrontery, it was revealed, was too much to be accommodated by any State chief executive in the country, the source insisted.
It will be recalled that of Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu on Saturday announced the dissolution of the State Executive Council in a surprised move. He gave no reason for that.
However, a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Onyebuchi Omemanka stated that Ikpeazu directed all those affected by the dissolution to “handover all government properties in their possession, together with their handover notes, to their respective Permanent Secretaries”.
According to the statement, the governor expressed his deep appreciation to the former Commissioners for their services to the people of Abia State and wished them well in their future endeavours.
Meanwhile, Governor Ikpeazu on Saturday evening recalled his suspended Chief of Staff, Dr Anthony Agbazuere. A statement by his Chief Press Secretary disclosed that Agbazuere’s recall was with immediate effect.
In the interim, another statement from the Secretary to the Government (SSG), Barr Chris Ezem, explained that the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr Uche Ihediwa, Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, and the Commissioner for Health, Dr Joe Osuji were exempted from the sack.
The statement reads: Further to the earlier announced dissolution of the State Executive Council, the Governor has directed that the previous announcement exempts the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr Uche Ihediwa, Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, and the Commissioner for Health, Dr Joe Osuji.
“They are to continue performing the duties of their office along with the Secretary to State Government, Barr Chris Ezem”.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
