Political appointees retain posts, after PDP primaries
Political appointees and civil servants, who resigned their appointments to governorship primaries in Ebonyi, are now back to their previous positions.
The officials included Dr Henry Aloh, Commissioner for Health, Mr Aloy Ogah, Special Adviser on Projects and Chief Opoke Odu, a permanent secretary in the state civil service.
Prior to the primary elections, all the aspirants, including the officials, stepped down for the eventual winner, Chief Martin Elechi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the political appointees and civil servants were recalled to their former positions as a compensation for their gesture.
However, it is not clear how the other categories of governorship aspirants who stepped down for Elechi would now be rewarded.
Chief Obinna Ogba, the former state PDP chairman, has yet to go back to assume his previous position.
Chief Okeagu Ogadah replaced Ogba as the party chairman.
AC back pedals on candidates' screening Chief Bisi Akande, the AC National Chairman, today directed all the party's candidates to appear before INEC's screening committee as demanded by the commission.
Akande gave the directive at Alausa, Ikeja during an interaction with some journalists.
He clarified that the initial contrary directive was made while he was abroad,``but when I came back , I directed them to appear before INEC.
``I was not around when the decision that they should not appear before INEC was taken.
``But we don't have any reason to fear the INEC screening, because the law is not on the side of INEC to screen out anybody and therefore it will not screen out anybody.''
Akande, who said that Nigeria is populated by civilised citizens added that his party would continue to play along with INEC and see whether they would try what was unlawful.
``So I don't support the idea that people fear what the INEC should do. If INEC says come, go to INEC, if they asked you to
submit your paper, you have nothing to fear or hide. So why should we not appear before it,'' he asked.
Asked, what the faith of the party would be if its presidential candidate, Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was in any way disqualified, he said that he believed that Atiku Abubakar would lead the AC to victory come April election.
``I don't believe he might not be the candidate of the AC. I believe the VP if he remains the candidate of the party will lead it to power come May 29 this year, '' he said.
But, if by for any reason he ceases to be our candidate, there are numerous other persons within the AC to take over the candidature'' he said.