Impeccable sources from Umuahia, Abia State capital can confirm the embattled and desperate Governor TA Orji has hurriedly dissolved the State Executive Council with immediate effect to checkamate a planned embarrassment and mass resignation of the cabinet .
He fired all the commissioners on monday the 28th of june, retaining only the commissioners for works, who happens to be his cousin and the Attorney General and commissioner for justice from Ohafia.
A former commissioner from Umuahia revealed to our source that fifteen commissioners met behind closed doors on friday the 25th of june to vent their frustrations on Gov Orji’s non performance and his inordinate passion to impeach his deputy, Comrade Chris Akomas, whom most of their colleagues believe is unwarranted.
The fifteen commissioners intended to register their collective dissatisfaction with the Governor on next wednesday’s Executive Council meeting scheduled for the 30th of june but a black leg amongst their ranks betrayed them on saturday the 26th of june.
Consequently when the Governor got wind of the impending planned embarrassment and mass resignation of the cabinet that saturday and knowing their action tantamount to a vote of no confidence on his administration, he quickly fired his cabinet in a panic attack. A no surprise for a Governor who is well known for his fire brigade approach to governance. Let us watch out where this bully in a china shop is headed next. Could he be headed to the state house of assembly and why? We keep you posted with behind the scene details as Gov Orji’s desperate quest for second term saga unfolds against a backdrop of non performance.
In another development, the on-going conflict between Abia State Governor Theodore Orji and his party the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) came to a head yesterday when the party ordered him to pay all outstanding salaries to civil servants and to the Deputy Governor Chris Akoma latest by August this year, an action that is seen as the beginning of a plot to oust him from power.
But reacting to the party, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor Mr. Kingsley Emeruwa said the PPA did not give Orji any chance to defend himself against issues that were raised.
Orji has also dissolved the cabinet, the second time since he became the chief executive. PPA’s order was given yesterday in Abuja by the National Chairman Mr. Larry Esin, while reading the resolution of the National Working Committee (NWC) to newsmen.
Esin who claimed the party was reacting to public outcry against Orji’s alleged incompetence, said, “Governor T. A. Orji should approve the payment of all outstanding statutory allowance owed to the deputy governor by the end of August.”
He continued: “It is the resolution of the NWC of PPA that Governor T.A. Orji should pay all outstanding salaries owed to civil servants by August 2010.
Written by Jerry Ogbonna.
Ed: Reaction of the Abia State Government
the Chief Press Secretary to the governor Mr. Kingsley Emeruwa said the PPA did not give Orji any chance to defend himself against issues that were raised. “In every dispute, there is what we call law of natural justice. You must grant fair hearing to both parties. In this case, the PPA had given the governor one week to respond to the issues raised in their query, as conferred in their letter of June 24.
“And less than 24 hours, they came out with the so-called resolution. The question now is, on what submission did they make the resolution since they have not heard from the governor? And we are also praying that the PPA, in a bid, to act out a script, does not shoot itself in the leg. We are asking the PPA to prove what categories of civil servants are being owed by the state government.”
Fighting for his political life, a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Mazi Donatus Okorie had announced the dissolution of the cabinet.
He explained that some portfolios were exempted which include the SSG, chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, commissioners for works, housing and attorney general and commissioner for justice. The governor had dissolved his cabinet early last year, picking a new team after several months of consultations.
No reason was given for the latest action but it is believed to be a tactical move aimed at fending off opposition in addition to to repositioning the governor’s team for his second term bid.
The statement asked the affected persons to hand over any government property in their possession while the governor thanked them for their service.
Apart from the political appointees, all market unions in Abia were dissolved.