Gov Umahi dissolves Ebonyi boards, commissions amidst state elections

The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi has dissolved all boards and commissions in Ebonyi State.

He also sacked the coordinators of 64 development centres in the state.

Development centres are the fourth tier of government in Ebonyi.

The dissolution is coming barely two days after the governorship and state assembly elections which the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) is expected to win. The election process is still ongoing as the winner of the governorship election is yet to be declared by the electoral commission, INEC.

The Secretary to the State Government and Coordinating Commissioner, Kenneth Ugbala, announced the dissolution in a statement on Monday.

He, however, said the Ebonyi State University Governing council was not affected by the decision.

The governor asked the affected appointees to hand over all government properties, including their official vehicles to Mr Ugbala before the close of work on 21 March.

Mr Ụgbala said the state government shall constitute a transition committee who will advise whether to reconstitute the boards, commissions and development centre coordinators or leave it for the incoming administration.

The statement added that the state government has taken note of members of the boards, commissions and development centre coordinators who served very well in their various offices and would be accommodated during reconstitution.

Though no reason was given for the governor’s action, a source in the government said some of the affected appointees openly or secretly worked against the state government and the ruling APC in the state during the election.

“Some others sat on the fence, not supporting the party’s candidates or the opposition. Many of them lost in their polling units and wards to the opposition”.

“The government and party demands absolute loyalty at all times. Many of them could not even defend the government and party on social media when they were being bashed by the opposition.

“If you are not ready to be totally loyal then you have no business enjoying political patronage from the same government,” the source said, asking not to be named as he has no permission to talk to journalists.