2023: Kwara, Ondo Ask Political Appointees to Resign

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin and Fidelis David in Akure

Kwara State Governor and his counterpart in  Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), have  asked  all political office holders  to resigned from their offices if they will be contesting in the 2023 elections.

In Kwara, for instance, some political appointees like Commissioners, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants among others have been moving round their wards in the state to seek the support of their people for various elective positions during the next polls.

The development it was gathered has caused a lot of slow pace of administration in the various ministries and parastatals in the state.

However, a statement issued in Ilorin signed by the Secretary to the State Government(SSG) Prof.Mamman Saba Jibril, directed that  all the interested appointees should forward their letter of resignation latest by April 15, 2022.

“In line with provisions of Section 84 (12) of the new Electoral Act, all Kwara State Government’s appointees seeking nominations for elective offices in the forthcoming primaries are hereby directed to resign.

All resignation letters should be submitted to the Office of the Secretary to the Kwara State Government not later than 15th April, 2022”.

Similarly, in Ondo, Akeredolu, in a memo through the   SSG, Princess Oladunni Odu, asked  those wanting to contest elections to resign by April 14.

The memo said: “As you are aware, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His  Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) has signed the amended Electoral bill Into Law and the independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has released guidelines on the conduct of the in impending general elections thereby signalling the commencement of intense political activities both at the federal and state levels: “Consequently, and In line with the provision of section 84 (12) of the

electoral act, 2022, political and public office holders desirous of participating in the political process either as a contestant for elective positions or as delegate should resign their appointments on or before Thursday. 14th April 2022.This is for your Information and strict compliance, pIease.”

This comes few days after wife of the state governor, Mrs. Betty Anyanwu- Akeredolu, officially declared her interest to represent Imo East Senatorial District (Owerri zone) in the Senate in 2023.

Anyanwu-Akeredolu, fondly called Ada Owerri, had said her aspiration to represent her pre-marital zone in the Senate was gingered by the need to address the gross under-development and infrastructural deficit in her maiden home of Emeabiam in Owerri West local council and the other eight local councils that make up the zone.

She regretted that successive administrations had neglected the zone, commending the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for approving the construction of a five-kilometre road in her area.

She said: “I am running for Senate to represent Imo East Senatorial Zone. There is nothing wrong in that other than to change the narratives of power in the zone.

I will go there to make sure that life is made easier. Owerri people have acknowledged my importance. When it comes to infrastructural facilities, I am reaching out to everyone. I am a daughter from Owerri that is coming back to fix the community. I have structure in Imo.”