Alia submits first eight commissioner nominees

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has submitted the first list of commissioner-nominees to the State House of Assembly.

This comes days after the mass sacking of his entire cabinet, including all 17 commissioners and his Chief of Staff.

The new list, comprising eight individuals, represents the beginning of Governor Alia’s efforts to rebuild his executive team.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor transmitted the names to the Assembly in accordance with constitutional provisions and intends to send a second batch within a few days.

The move comes just 48 hours after Governor Alia abruptly dissolved his cabinet in a decision that sent shockwaves across Benue’s political landscape.

On Wednesday, July 30, Alia dismissed all serving commissioners and his Chief of Staff without public warning or prior indication, effectively halting the operations of many ministries and sparking speculation about internal disagreements and policy dissatisfaction.

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While no official explanation was offered at the time, insiders in government circles suggest that the decision was driven by the governor’s dissatisfaction with the pace of implementation of his administration’s programs and projects.

In the statement released on Friday, Kula emphasized that the new appointments are being guided by principles of competence, transparency, and inclusivity.

He said Governor Alia is determined to assemble a team that can effectively execute his vision for Benue and meet the expectations of the people.

Though specific portfolios for the nominees have not yet been announced, the individuals are said to be drawn from diverse professional and academic backgrounds.

The Benue State House of Assembly is expected to commence screening of the nominees in the coming days.

NAN