By Amuda Dan Sulaiman FAB.
The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has asked all the commissioners and Admistrators of the 21 local government councils, who were sacked, to return to their offices.
Mr. Bello had on Sunday announced the sack of all the 15 members of the state executive council and 21 local government council Administrators at a meeting held at the Government House Lokoja, with all political appointees.
A source at the meeting had informed this reporter that “the governor directed all the 15 commissioners and 21 local government administrators to submit the keys to their official vehicles to the Secretary to State Government (SSG), as he dissolves State Executive Council”.
However, the same source later told our correspondent that the “Governor had announced a return to office for all commissioners and administrators.”
He also said Mr. Bello simply told the officials to ensure “better performance and better relationship between the appointees and the masses”.
The governor is yet to release any public statement on his actions.
But a Lokoja based constitutional lawyer, Moses Oladare, described Bello’s action as unconstitutional saying that it is a joke taken too far.
Oladare siad; “when a Governor dissolved his cabinet, even if it is for one minute, it takes only the state House of Assembly to give approval via screening the nominees before reconstituting it.
“Kogi Governor has committed another blunder by probating and reprobating.
“Any official action taken by any of the cabinet members is illegal from today,” Oladare explained.”
