News Rendezvous

By Our Correspondent, YOLA

Governor has directed all political appointees serving in his administration who have publicly declared allegiance to, or defected to, other political parties to immediately resign their appointments or face termination and forfeiture of all benefits.

The directive was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou. According to the statement, the governor said the decision became necessary to safeguard loyalty, discipline, and the integrity of public service within the state government.

Fintiri noted that political appointees are expected to support and advance the policies, programmes, and political direction of the administration under which they serve, stressing that continued service by individuals who have aligned themselves with rival political parties could undermine government operations.He warned that retaining appointees with divided political loyalties could expose the administration to risks such as sabotage, information leakage, obstruction of policy implementation, and disruption of party strategy.

The governor consequently directed all affected political office holders to submit their resignation letters to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government within 48 hours of the directive.He also ordered the Office of the Secretary to the State Government and the Office of the Head of Service to compile, verify, and submit a comprehensive list of all affected appointees for compliance monitoring.

The statement further warned that any appointee who fails to comply within the stipulated timeframe would face immediate termination of appointment, cessation of salaries, entitlements, and other benefits, in addition to possible administrative sanctions.Governor Fintiri emphasized that public office is a trust that must be exercised in alignment with the vision, agenda, and mandate of the administration.”The government cannot condone divided loyalty in the discharge of public trust,” the governor stated.

The directive, according to the statement, takes immediate effect.Political observers say the move may trigger significant changes within the state’s political structure, particularly amid ongoing political realignments and defections ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Humwashi Wonosikou, who signed the statement on behalf of the governor, reiterated that the administration remains committed to maintaining discipline, loyalty, and effective governance in the discharge of public responsibilities.