Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal on Wednesday sacked all his commissioners and asked them to hand government property to the permanent secretaries in their respective ministries, in a move that foreshadows his planned move to switch to the Peoples Democratic Party.
Malam Abubakar Shekara, Director General Media and Public Affairs in Government House, announced the dissolution in a statement.
Shekara explained that the dissolution would pave way for “restructuring and re-strategising the cabinet for optimum efficiency and service delivery to the people of State”.
The director-general said Gov. Tambuwal thanked the former commissioners for their dedication, sacrifice and loyalty to the administration.
According to him, the governor also expressed appreciation to the people for cooperating with and supporting the former commissioners towards achieving the success so far recorded.
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“Gov. Tambuwal wishes the former Executive Council members success in their future endeavours,” he added.
But political pundits said the governor’s move may be connected with his plans to leave the All Progressives Congress and rejoin the Peoples Democratic Party.
Close watchers of the state said the governor does not enjoy the support of many commissioners, some of whom were nominated by former governor, Aliyu Wammako, who is now a senator, and who has vowed not to leave the All Progressives Congress.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
