Gov Emmanuel sacks 2 commissioners linked with Akpabio

AHEAD of the defection of Senator Godswill Akpabio from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has sacked two commissioners loyal to Akpabio.

The commissioners were sacked with immediate effect for what was called “act of disloyalty”.

They are the Commissioners for Labour, Productivity and Manpower Development, Mr Ibanga Akpabio, and Culture and Tourism, Mr Victor Antai.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Charles Udoh, said the two commissioners had to be removed from the State Executive Council for disloyalty to the governor.

Ibanga, who is a younger brother to Sen. Godswill Akpabio was sacked alongside Antai for receiving Akpabio, a former governor of the state and Emmanuel’s predecessor, at the Ibom International Airport on Tuesday.

Akpabio flew into the state preparatory to his plan to defect from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Udoh said the commissioners had to be removed from the state executive council following their “reluctance to comply with good governance processes.’’

“With the development, they have been mandated to handover to the Permanent Secretary in their respective ministries before the close of work on Wednesday, August 8,’’ he said.

The commissioner stressed that the duo showed complete disloyalty to Emmanuel and therefore could not continue to remain in the state executive.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Akpabio on Tuesday tendered his resignation as the Senate minority leader and will formally defect to All Progressives Congress today