Umahi sacks appointees from Anyim’s local government

The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has sacked most of his political appointees from Ivo Local Government Area of the state.

One of Mr Umahi’s former allies, Pius Anyim, is from Ishiagu community in Ivo local government.

The sack comes barely 24 hours after Mr Anyim, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, wrote an open letter to Mr Umahi and copied President Muhammadu Buhari and heads of security agencies in the country.

In the said letter, Mr Anyim accused Mr Umahi of plotting to kill him, among other issues he raised.

The letter was a reaction to an earlier accusation by Mr Umahi that Mr Anyim, who is also a former senate president, was plotting with other top Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in the state to unleash violence on the state.

Mr Umahi had last week named the other persons allegedly in league with Mr Anyim as Obinna Ọgba and Sam Egwu – both serving senators – and Acting Southeast Zonal Vice Chairperson of the PDP in the Southeast, Ali Odefa.

He said they were plotting with cultists and IPOB members to make the state ungovernable.

The governor and his former political allies have fallen out following the governor’s defection from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The sack of the appointees appears to be a fallout of the brewing feud between the duo.

The sack was announced by the Secretary to the State Government, Kenneth Ụgbọala, on Wednesday.

He, however, said the sack was informed by the governor’s decision to ensure inclusiveness in governance.

Those affected by the sack are: All Senior Technical Assistants (STAs) and Technical Assistants (TAs) to the Governor; All Liaison Officers; and All Management Committee members from Ivo Local Government Area.

The statement directed them to handover all government property in their possession to the Secretary to the State Government and Coordinating Commissioner by the close of work on Wednesday.

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Mr Umahi had last Thursday sacked the coordinators of Ivo and Echiele Development Centers for allegedly refusing to sign a communiqué against Mr Anyim.

Some of Mr Umahi’s appointees from Ivo had resigned days ago, before Wednesday’s sledgehammer.

Appointees believed to be close to Mr Egwu, who is the senator representing Ebonyi North, were also sacked last week.