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One month to rerun elections, Wike sacks 17 LG caretaker committees

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Gov Wike recalls 4 suspended commissioners, HoS

Ahead of the October proposed rerun election in Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike, on Thursday dissolved the Caretaker Committees of 17 out of the 23 local government areas in the state.

The governor had a day earlier, suspended the State Head of Service, Mr. Rufus Godwins, four commissioners and one special adviser.

Wike made the sack public through his Special Adviser on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, who said the dissolution of the LG caretaker committees would take immediate effect.

Though the governor gave no reason for his actions, but there are speculations that the governor’s action was not unconnected with the coming rerun election in the state.

Adding credence to the speculation is the fact that many of the affected caretaker committees are from the local government areas where there will be rerun elections.

Read also: For peace in PDP, Sheriff insists he must co-chair any convention

INEC had in the March rerun election in the state, cancelled election in eight local government areas of the state citing irregularities and other electoral offences as the reason for its action.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak, had listed Etche, Asari-Toru, Khana, Bonny, Gokana, Andoni, Tai and Eleme as the local governments affected, where there will be a rerun election.

Checks showed that almost, if not all the local governments for the rerun election are victims of Wike’s sack.

List of the affected local government as released by Rivers government include, Abua/Odual, Akuku-Toru, Ahoada East, Andoni, Bonny, Eleme and Emohua.

Others are Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Omuma, Oyigbo, Port Harcourt City, Etche, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, Ogu/Bolo and Okrika and Tai.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

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