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60 jostle for
post of commissioner in Anambra
By Okey Maduforo
Correspondent, Awka
No fewer than 60 people are already
lobbing for appointment into Anambra State executive council following claims
that Governor Chris Ngige is set to reshuffle his cabinet.
Ngige had last week asked all
political appointees to prepare their handover note pending a substantive
appointment due to be made soon.
The governor who had travelled
abroad since last week had submitted three names to the House of Assembly for
consideration as commissioners thus hinting that three commissioners in his
cabinet may be dropped.
Though, it is not clear who may not
make the proposed cabinet, it was learnt that the cabinet reshuffle is geared
towards the forthcoming council election, as the appointees would use their
positions to win support for the People Democratic Party.
Among the people jostling for
positions are those whose local government areas and political blocs are not in
the present cabinet and the governor’s professional colleagues as well as
politicians who lost out in the Chief Chris Uba camp.
Following Ngige’s intention to
enlarge his cabinet, lobbyists had intensified efforts seeking the placement of
their cronies in choice ministries like finance, housing and environment, land,
as well as their parastatals.
A source said some special advisers
might be elevated to commissioners while new appointees would head the
parastatals and some ministries that have not performed above average
expectation.
It was also gathered that some
permanent secretaries who fell short of expectations might be relieved of their
appointments along with the commissioners.
Meanwhile, anxiety can best describe
the present executive members who were told to submit their hand-over notes in
likes of the charge in cabinet as they have retired back to their sponsors and
friends of the Governor to launch a come back.
Also some council chairmen are
present being approached by the lobbyists as well as House of Assembly members
in order to ensure that they are part of the new executive council.
But there are strong indications
that Governor Ngige may extend a hand of peace to the Chief Chris Uba’s
group by making some landmark appointments which it was gathered that some of
Uba’s loyalists are already waiting in the wings.
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