Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has sacked two of his political aides who defied him to attend the just-concluded convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The sacked aides are Joseph Jacob Ikpak, a senior special assistant to the governor on support services and Felix Ekuri, a special assistant to the governor on Neighbourhood Watch.
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Enobong Uwah, the secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, announced the government’s decision in a statement on Monday in Uyo.
Mr Uwah said the action was part of Mr Eno’s “ongoing restructuring exercise to align the machinery of government towards the success of the Renewed Hope and ARISE Agenda”.
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However, insiders in the administration stated that the two aides were removed because they attended the PDP convention. Photos showing the aides at the PDP convention have been circulating on Facebook, shortly after the government announced their sack.
Sources within the Government House, Uyo, told PREMIUM TIMES on Monday that Governor Eno, apparently disturbed by the action of his aides who attended the PDP convention, has summoned all his political aides to an emergency meeting on Wednesday at the Government House.
“A notice for the meeting has already been sent out by the SSG,” a source within the governor’s cabinet told our reporter.
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The source stated that there has been apprehension within the administration due to concerns that most officials, including commissioners, remain loyal to the PDP and Mr Eno’s predecessor, Udom Emmanuel.
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Since Mr Eno defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in June, he has been struggling to manage political disloyalty from aides and politicians in the state, amid conflicts over sharing of political positions between the APC members and those who joined the party from the PDP.
Ini Ememobong, who resigned his appointment as commissioner in Mr Eno’s administration rather than join the governor in the APC, was elected on Saturday at the PDP convention as the party’s national spokesperson.
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