Chief Press Secretary to Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, Mr Onyebuchi Ememanka, has explained why he signed the statement that announced the dissolution of the Abia State Executive Council.
The Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu had during the week and in a surprise move dissolved his Cabinet. He asked the outgoing commissioners to hand over to their respective Permanent Secretary without advancing any reason for the sudden dissolution.
Speaking on Flo fm programme, Executive Brief monitored in Umuahia, the chief press secretary said it’s part of his duty to sign the press statement that announced the sacking of the commissioners, in spite of the fact that he is a far junior official of the governor.
Analysts are of the opinion that the chief press secretary ought not to be the one who would sign the statement sacking the commissioners, whilst there is a chief of staff and even the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, who are of cabinet ranking. They argued that in the event the CoS and SSG were affected then the Principal Secretary to the governor could have been the one to sign the statement.
Some argued that allowing the chief press secretary to sign the statement is somehow belittling to the dissolved Commissioners.
They further argued that the governor must have realised the mistake necessitating the issuance of a second statement which was signed by the SSG.
Mr Ememanka said, ‘it is part of my job to sign the dissolution letter. In fact, he disclosed that one of the commissioners asked him ”were you the one that signed the statement sacking us?
He went on to say that the governor dissolved the Exco in exercise of his constitutional power to dissolve and reconstitute his Cabinet to make it more productive.
Why I Signed The Statement That Announced The Sacking Of The Commissioners- Onyebuchi Ememanka
