New governors draw battle line with predecessors
- New state governors are stamping their feet on the ground and taking charge in several states
- Some of the states have witnessed sweeping changes in strategic places and at different areas since the new governors were inaugurated
- The situation has equally polarised the APC and PDP in some state chapters
A report by Tribune indicates that the gulf that existed before the May 29 handover date between new state governors and their predecessors has further widened, with the former dismantling major inherited administrative structures immediately they got into office.
According to the report, feelers in some states indicated imminent shake-up across board in major Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) through massive redeployment of a number of key functionaries.
Though states like Bauchi, Oyo and Ogun have witnessed sweeping changes in strategic places and at different areas since the new governors were inaugurated, there were speculations that a number of governors might announce more radical changes in the structure inherited from their predecessors.
The dog fight had equally polarised the two main political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in some state chapters.
Some are accusing the new helmsmen of breaching the mutual zoning arrangements for making choice political appointments among the three senatorial zones across states, as well as post-election accord on power sharing.
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For instance, members of the coalition that facilitated the victory of a governor from one of the states in the southern part of the country were divided over the power sharing formula earlier agreed by the parties some weeks ago.
In another state, parties to a similar accord have reversed the terms with the adoption of the mutual arrangement arrived at based on the performance of the political parties after the presidential election.
As expected, Bauchi state new governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, approved the immediate disengagement of all political officeholders, including the dissolution of all local government councils management committee members in the state.
The order for the disengagement and dissolution was contained in a terse statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mohammed Sabiu Baba, copies of which were made available to journalists.
It said members of boards of parastatals, agencies extra-ministerial departments, directors-general as well as local government caretaker committee chairmen were all affected by the directive.
Lagos state new governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has since begun to assemble key members of the team that will work with him.
He has named the director-general of his campaign, Mr Tayo Ayinde, as his chief of staff, his first appointment being Gboyega Akosile as deputy chief press secretary.
Other appointments so far made by the governor are those of Gboyega Soyannwo as deputy chief of staff; and Mrs. Folasade Jaji as new SSG.
So far, all the appointments have been applauded, as no eyebrow has been raised from any quarters.
In Adamawa, the new governor, Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri, appointed Bashir Ahmed as SSG; Solomon Kumangar as chief press secretary an they elicited both positive and negative reactions.
A loyalist of the PDP from Guyuk, Afraimu Jacob, said the appointment of Bashir had made the administration of Fintiri to begin on a bad note.
According to him, he followed the campaign train of the governor from beginning till the end, but the new SSG was not visible at the time.
Jacob said he was sure critical stakeholders were not consulted before the governor appointed Bashir as SSG.
Organising secretary of the APC, Alhaji Ahmad Lawan, in his comment, said the PDP government had started with “a deceptive appointment” with regard to the appointment of the SSG.
He said Adamu Mustapha was initially penciled in for the office, and that Fintiri promised Christians that if he won the election, they were going to produce the SSG.
Lawan also said he was reliably informed that the PDP had been caught in a web of internal crisis over the appointment, as sources revealed to him that the governor had also promised a former governor of the state, Mr Boni Haruna, that he would bring the man that would be the SSG.
“We have said it times without number that the PDP government in Adamawa state does not have the wherewithal to unite us, let alone of bringing development to the state,” Lawan said.
In Imo state, Rochas Okorocha and Governor Emeka Ihedioha are at daggers drawn over some projects, including monuments, one of which was pulled down allegedly by agents of the new governor.
In Oyo, the new governor, Seyi Makinde has dissolved the local government and local council development areas executives, just as he scrapped the N3,000 tuition in public secondary schools and reversed the appointment of 15 permanent secretaries promoted by his predecessor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, few days to the expiration of his tenure.
While the council chiefs, ‘elected’ in the twilight of Ajimobi’s eight-year tenure, are claiming that they were elected and as such, the governor lacked the power to remove them from office, it appears that many residents of Oyo state are in agreement with the new administration that the said 2018 local government election that purportedly ushered in the chairmen was questionable.
READ ALSO: Dino Melaye declares for Kogi governorship election
Meanwhile, the newly-sworn in Zamfara state governor, Hon. Dr Muhammad Bello Matawallen-Maradun has dedicated half of his monthly salary to orphans welfare in the state.
Matawallen Maradun announced this on Thursday, May 30 when he visited the state's orphanage home in Gusau, the state capital.
He said orphans are among the important personalities in the society, therefore they need to be given effective care and concern.
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