Benue governor, Ortom set to sack five commissioners, top aides
Baring any last minute change of mind, Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom is set to rejig his cabinet.
This imminent shakeup, DAILY POST exclusively gathered would affect five Commissioners and many Senior Special Assistants.
Insider hinted our reporter that the governor has been under intense pressure to disengage some of his cabinet members who have not brought any ‘meaningful’ thing to the table since they were appointed.
Our sources hinted that the governor, who constituted his cabinet one month of assuming office, was no longer comfortable with some persons who were recommended by a top politician in the state.
Our source revealed that Ortom had made the first move to fire some of the inactive cabinet members in May but was stopped by the top politician, who is believed to be his godfather.
The source added that the politician, who was behind Ortom’s emergence as the state governor has severally kicked against the governor’s plans to flush out some ‘incompetent’ commissioners and aides who are loyal to him.
The indider, who would not want his name mentioned, said the shakeup might affect the Media department, Agriculture, Education, Monitoring and Evaluation, Research and Strategy, and others.
“As we speak, five commissioners have been penned down for outright sack. These people were forced on the governor by his godfather and they have not brought any meaningful thing to the table. The governor believes that they were sent as spies to monitor his activities in the government house. I can assure you that this shakeup will tear the two politicians apart. Out of the five persons who may be fired, two of them were recommended by the wife of his political godfather,” the source told DAILY POST.
Recall that the Benue State Chairman of Conference for All Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, Engineer Baba Agan had recently called on the governor to reshuffle his cabinet with immediate effect.
According to Agan, the Government top functionaries have displayed ineptitude in the wake of insecurity and other crimes ravaging the state and called for the dissolution of the present executives.
Similarly, social critic, Nathaniel Apir, asked Ortom to sack ninety percent of his cabinet members for nonperformance.
He said the current commissioners lack the pedigree and intellectual capability, adding that they do not have the requisite skill to assist the governor develop the State.
“Most of them were appointed for political patronage and this has stifled development of the State,” he decried.
Meanwhile, in a recent reaction to their calls, the governor denied any plan by him to reshuffle his cabinet now, but that he would not hesitate to drop any member of his cabinet who fails to perform.
“I have no intention to carry out cabinet reshuffle for now, and l want to say it clear that those agitating for such an exercise should wait, but if I find any of my appointees wanting in the discharge of their duties, I will drop that person immediately,” the governor warned.
In February, the State Executive Council sacked the Special Adviser on Rural Development, Mr. Tsenongo Abancha.
The Elizabeth Kpojime Judicial Commission of Inquiry, indicted Abancha and others for their roles in the misappropriation of N500 million Bank of Industry micro credit fund.
The white paper directed Mr. Abancha and others to jointly and severally refund N19.5 million.
His aide on Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua, was not available for comment at the time of this report.
For Advert: Call 08171607004, 09058228464 Follow us on Twitter @idomavoice, @idomanews Send us releases at idomavoice@gmail.com
Treasure Orokpo
A multi-talented individual with a passion for diverse fields, Treasure Orokpo is a trained journalist, skilled cook, and AI enthusiast. When she's not uncovering the latest stories, you can find her whipping up culinary creations in the kitchen and entertainment.
