By Gabriel Atumeyi
365Daily – Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has dissolved the state executive council and sacked his special advisers and senior special assistants, except for those manning humanitarian services and sustainable development goals.
Daily trust reports that the governor made the announcement during an emergency state executive council meeting which was held at the Government House, Lafia, the state capital on Monday.
Sule, however, used the opportunity to appreciate them for their commitment and services rendered to the administration, stressing that his administration would continue to count on their support in the future.
Responding on behalf of the former appointees, Associate Professor Abdulkarim Kana, who until now was the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, commended the governor for giving them the opportunity to serve the state and his administration.
Professor Kana assured the governor of their continued support ahead of the 2023 general election.
However, top government officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said most of the political appointees were recommended to the governor by his predecessors, thereby hindering the governor’s performance as expected.
According to the sources, Sule had to dissolve them to enable him build his own structure, adding that if Sule did not react now to fix his foot soldiers, his chances of getting a second ticket would be very slim.
They, however, affirmed that the governor’s action was a step to gaining full control ahead of the 2023 governorship election where he may be seeking reelection.
One of them said: “We all know that most of the political appointees in this state were recommended by past governors of the state under pressure.
“So, I believe that he is sacking them to be able to bring his foot soldiers into the political limelight before the commencement of the local government elections on October 6th and the governorship election in 2023 because he has been getting endorsement across the state to continue as governor.”
It was also gathered that the governor inaugurated the sacked commissioners on November 1, 2019.
Further investigations by our correspondent indicated that the governor had earlier summoned the formers state’s executive members for a meeting on his plan to relieve them of their appointment.