Governor Yahaya Bello fires senior aides

Less than three weeks after his reelection, the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has sacked some political office holders in the state.

According to a statement on Monday by the Secretary to the State Government, the affected officials are special advisers, senior special assistants and special assistants to the governor.

The governor had 25 special advisers, 70 senior special assistants and about 70 special assistants.

However, the statement said commissioners, directors-general, and aides of the governor, his deputy and their wives were exempted from the sweep.

“The Head of Service, Auditor-General for state and Local Government and Chairman and members of statutory commissions are not affected by the above directive,” according to the statement.

Those spared also include the “direct aides of the Governor, direct aides of the Deputy Governor, aides of the Chief of Staff, aides of Her Excellency, the Wife of the Governor; and the aides of Her Excellency, the Wife of the Deputy Governor.”

The governor directed the affected officeholders to forward their handing over notes to the office of the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State not later than December 3.

They are also to hand over to “the most senior civil servant in their ministry, department and agency (MDA).”

“Copies of the handing over notes should be forwarded to the office of the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State in soft and hard copies.

“The Government of the New Direction appreciates the affected officials for their immense contributions to the development of the state,” the statement stated.