As political activities ahead of 2023 gather momentum across the country, no fewer than 15 serving commissioners in Niger state are set to dump the cabinet of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello in other to realize their political ambition in 2023.
Also to tender their resignations letters to the governor, are some key political appointees in the government, including eight local government chairmen from across the three senatorial districts of the state.
According to a very reliable source close to the government house, there are plans by the governor to reshuffle the cabinet before May 29, this year where some of the Commissioners will be dropped, 15 of them have already made up their mind to quit to enable them began early consultations with the grassroots.
The recent engagement of the governor over the political development in the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) which has made him temporarily relocate to Abuja, made these commissioners and the other key appointees of the government hold their resignation letters close to their chest for now.
It was reliably gathered that out of the numbers of the commissioners that are nursing various political ambition, 10 are eyeing the House of Representatives seat from their various constituency, three are eyeing the state House of Assembly seat while one each is eyeing the Governor’s seat and Deputy Governor seat which from all indications will be zoned to their areas.
The decision of the commissioners to quit the cabinet early was not only to enable them to begin consultations at the grassroots but to also beat the new electoral act recently signed into law by President Mohammadu Buhari, a section which made it compulsory for any officeholder to resign his or appointment before contesting any elective office.
One of the commissioners (name withheld) who is eyeing the House of Representatives said in Minna at the weekend that his letter of resignation was ready but was only waiting for an opportunity to tender it to the governor and thank him for the honour done to him for appointing him as commissioner in his cabinet.
‘Honestly, I will contest the House of Representatives in 2023 if God spears my life. That is why you see that I have not been stable in the office because of meeting here and there. I will soon tender my letter of resignation so that I can concentrate on my next political ambition”, he submitted.
He disclosed that he is not alone on this mission, stressing that “at least I know of 14 of my colleagues that will soon join me. But you know I can not speak for anybody, we will all tender our letters at our individual level,’ he said.
Furthermore, it was equally gathered that some very key principal officers of the government will also resign from their position any moment from now, and this according to our source, will force the governor to embark on the much-awaited cabinet reshuffle.
Among the key principal officers, one is said to be eyeing the Deputy governor seat, two House of Representatives seats and one House of Assembly seat.
Although the local government Chairmen have up till December this year to remain in office as elected officers, eight of them are already strategizing to contest various political offices in 2023.
Out of these numbers, six are going for the state House of Assembly, and are ready to do battle with the Assembly members from their local government areas while two will lock horn with their Commissioners in the House of Representatives seat.