No fewer than ten local government chairmen in Akwa Ibom have lost out in the list of transition Committee chairmen inaugurated by Governor Umo Eno on Thursday while others who have performed well have been reappointed to pilot affairs of their councils in the next six months.
The former council Chairmen who failed to return are Hon Aniekpon Ekpo Mkpat Enin, High Chief William Mkpa-Ibeno, Hon Idaisin-Ini, Udeme EEduo-Etim Ekpo, Godwin Inyieng – Ukanafun among others.
Inaugurating the Transition Committee Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and secretaries across the 31 local government areas of the state at Government House, Uyo Eno said the council Chairmen were selected based on their performance during their tenure.
” To the returning Council Chairmen, this is an affirmation and testament of the good work you did, in the last three years and we expect nothing less from you, during this Transition period.
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“You have been selected and given this great responsibility because of grace, not because you are the most qualified. I, therefore, expect you to work harmoniously with your stakeholders and everyone else to advance our agenda of growth and prosperity of our people.
“Let me specifically thank the Speaker and indeed the entire Members of the House of Assembly for the expeditious manner they approved our request to constitute Interim Administration in the Local Government Areas.
“As you all know, by virtue of Section 5 (1) of the Local Government (Administration) Law, 2017, the term of the Local Council Chairmen expired at twelve midnight yesterday and therefore, stands dissolved. There can’t be a vacuum in governance at any level, and the House, relying on Section 5 (2) of the same Local Government (Administrative ) Law, 2017, passed a resolution authorizing the setting up of the Transition Council we have just sworn in for six months. We thank the Speaker and the House for this great collaboration and for selflessly doing the work for which we were roundly and overwhelmingly voted into office to execute.”
Eno disclosed that the state government has made a budgetary provision in the 2024 budget to conduct local government elections after the expiration of the Transition Committee as the state Independent Electoral Commission has already commenced the process that will lead to the announcement of the election date at the local government.
