Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has reportedly sacked three out of the 17 Transition Committee Chairmen that he recently appointed to oversee the affairs of various local government areas in the state.
It is not clear what informed the decision to replace the TC chairmen barely one month into their administration.
It was however gathered that the sacking of the TC chairmen could not have been far from the poor performance of the party in their various local government areas in the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections.
The affected LG chairmen are of Isuikwuato, Osisioma and Arochukwu local government areas.
They have since been replaced by another set of appointees who have equally been sworn into office by the governor.
Meanwhile, Ikpeazu has directed the 17 local government TC Chairmen to laise with Security agencies, traditional rulers, vigilante groups to ensure the safety of the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across the State.
The directive was contained in a statement issued by his the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Enyinnaya Appolos.
The statement reads: “Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has directed all the 17 Transition Council Chairmen and their Deputies to immediately liaise with security agencies, local vigilante services, traditional rulers and youths, to ensure the protection of all INEC facilities within their local government areas.”
According to the Statement, the Council Chairmen are to also ensure that the Governorship and State House of Assembly Election coming up on the 9th of March 2019 is Peaceful.
“They are also to ensure that the March 9 election is peaceful before, during and after the exercise”
“This directive is sequel to intelligence reports received by the state government that desperate unscrupulous politicians are advanced in their plot to import hoodlums from outside the state to disrupt the coming elections for their selfish reasons,” the statement added.
The Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, had raised the alarm alleging plot to burn down INEC offices across Ngwa land by hoodlums which had given rise to the directives.