A Peoples Democratic Party’s chieftain from Abia State, Mike Nwabueze, has cautioned the incumbent governor, Alex Otti, against sliding the state into dictatorship.
He also accused the governor’s aides of usurping the powers conferred and exercised by members of the State Executive Council (SEC), who are designated commissioners.
The party stalwart was baring his mind on Wednesday, against the recent appointments and elevation of persons from Abia State as aides and heads of government’s ministries, departments, agencies and boards.
Nwabueze, who also served as Special Adviser to the immediate past Governor of the State, Okezie Ikpeazu, frowned at the unfolding scenarios and attributed the phenomenon to negligence and executive recklessness.
According to him, “The situation is worse because the aides never passed through screening by lawmakers.
“By occupying offices as commissioners in ministries, holding meetings with, and giving directives to permanent secretaries and directors of those ministries, the aides are usurping functions reserved for cabinet members.
Mr Nwabueze added, “Otti’s aides cannot exercise such powers, because they are only answerable to the governor but not accountable to the people through their elected representatives at the Abia state House of Assembly.”
He called on Governor Alex Otti to emulate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who sought the consent and approval of the national assembly to appoint his Special Advisers before the appointments took place.
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