I don’t want to be remembered for my many fights — Obaseki

By John Charles

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has nullified recent appointments into the State Civil Service made by the immediate past Governor, Samuel Ortom.

Alia said, “All appointments into the state civil service made by the outgone administration from May 2022 to date are hereby nullified with immediate effect.”

Recall that prior to the inauguration of the new governor, the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressive Congress had engaged in a war of words over last-minute policies made by the Ortom administration which range from recruitment of workers, promotion of staff, and award of contacts.

While the APC through its Publicity Secretary, Daniel Ihomun raised the alarm and accused the then administration of creating a bottleneck for the smooth take-off of the new government, the PDP through its Publicity Secretary, Bemgba Iortyom justified the last-minute policies by saying that Ortom remained the governor of the state until noon of May 29th.

But in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kula Tersoo, the governor while nullifying all the recruitment made by his predecessor also ordered all those who had retired but are yet to vacate their offices or duty post either because of extension or contract appointment to proceed on retirement forthwith.

The statement read in parts, “All Civil Servants due for retirement but are yet to tender their letters of retirement or notice of retirement should do so forthwith and proceed on retirement immediately.

“All Civil Servants and or persons appointed Permanent Secretaries from the month of January 2023 to date should revert to their previous positions forthwith.

“All the postings and transfers made in the state civil service from October 2022, to date are hereby nullified. The affected staff should revert to their former ranks, stations, or offices with immediate effect.”