Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, yesterday sacked 15 out of his 18 commissioners in a major cabinet shakeup, leaving only three.
It was like a bolt from the blue, as the governor took many people by surprise when he announced the dissolution of the State Executive Council at the weekly council meeting.
Bello was said to have gone about the normal procedure at the council meeting before striking suddenly by informing the commissioners of their sack and directing them to hand over their respective ministries to their permanent secretaries.
The governor, however, announced to the council that he was retaining the three commissioners he appointed two months ago.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace, noted that the governor announced the dissolution of his cabinet after the Weekly Executive Council Meeting in Minna.
According to the statement, Governor Bello, however, retained the three newly appointed commissioners in the Ministries of Tourism and Culture, Mineral Resources, and Livestock and Fishery.
The three commissioners who retained their jobs are Daniel Sunday kolo (Tourism and Culture), Muhammed Mudi (Solid Mineral) and Haruna Shehu (Livestock and Fishery).
The statement further noted that the weekly Executive Council meeting has been suspended until a new cabinet is put in place.
Ndace added that the governor who thanked the former members of his cabinet for their contributions, support and commitment to the actualization of his restoration agenda wished them success in their future endeavours.
