Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, on Monday advised political appointees in his cabinet seeking elective offices in 2015 to resign in accordance with the electoral law.
The governor gave the advice in Uyo while fielding questions from Government House Correspondents on the recent removal of the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Umana Okon Umana.
Umana is believed to have been removed from office because he openly declared his intention to contest for the governorship seat of the state in 2015.
“I want to encourage anybody who wishes to declare for any position to please do so. If you do so, you can opt out of government, you can resign or you can step aside.
“But what it means is that you are still ready to serve the state,” Akpabio said.
The governor said that he had no intention to reshuffle his cabinet except an appointee tendered his or her resignation within the remaining part of his tenure.
“If anybody wishes to contest any election, the law states that you should resign. If you resign, we will have no option than to make a change.
“The electoral law expects that any public officer that wishes to declare his or her intention for any election should resign the present position and thereafter makes the declaration.
“So if there is any officer of government that wishes to declare his or her intention to contest for any elective office, the person has the right to resign.
“You cannot force somebody to sit in a position forever,” Akpabio said.
The governor, however, noted that the former SSG, Umana Okon Umana, made impressive impact in his administration’s uncommon transformation agenda in the last six years.
He described the emergence of All Progressives Congress (APC) as a registered political party as ‘a good development.’
“I welcome the registration of APC and I welcome the registration of any political party.
“What is beautiful about democracy is the opportunity given to all and sundry to partake in the democratic process.
“As a party, we in the PDP don’t want a one-party state in Nigeria, we love challenges, we love opposition.
“So, we look forward to working with the APC. I can assure that APC is just going to be like any other party,” Akpabio said. (NAN)
Bro Goddy is telling the truth