Abia Gov Sacks Four Council Bosses

Ahead of Saturday’s Governorship and State Assembly elections, Abia State government has sacked four council and two deputies. Their replacements were screened and confirmed by the state House of Assembly, in a matter of hours.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Ude Ukochukwu, said the dropping of the chairmen and deputies was sequel to a request by Governor Theodore Orji, “to avert security challenges in some sensitive areas”. Hon. Okochukwu charged the newly sworn-in council bosses “to ensure that the security of the Local Government Areas is paramount, especially in the election period.”
There are speculations that the sudden changes might not be unconnected with the outcome of the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections, noting that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), performed below expectations in the state, especially in the four Local Government Areas. An All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) chieftain from Ugba in Umuahia North Local Government of the state, Chief Daniel Ocho, observed that the governor, who was the senatorial candidate for Abia Central, lost in his Ugba primary school polling unit and Local Government Area.
Chief Ocho also noted that the affected council areas where the chairmen were suddenly replaced are the most populous in the state, being urban and semi urban areas. The new chairmen and their deputies include Mr Chimaobi Ebisike for Aba North, Hon. Obioma Ekpem for Aba South, Suleman Ukandu for Umuahia North, Emeka Onuoha for Umuahia South and Dr. Kate Obiechena as deputy Aba South, Aja Ogwo as deputy for Aba North.