Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has dissolved the State Executive Council, ending the tenure of all commissioners in his administration.

The announcement was made Wednesday night during the 12th Executive Council meeting of 2025, according to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesman, Tersoo Kula.

As part of the shake-up, the governor appointed Barrister Moses Atagher, a former two-term Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, as his new Chief of Staff.

Atagher, who once served as the acting Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank, is expected to assume duties immediately.

Governor Alia expressed gratitude to the outgoing commissioners for their service over the past two years, urging those not reappointed to remain active in the party and supportive of the administration.

“They are only paving way for other citizens who may be chosen to replace them to also contribute their quota,” he said.

He clarified that apart from the new Chief of Staff, the dissolution affects only commissioners, leaving other appointees in place for now.

Speaking on behalf of the dissolved commissioners, Barrister Bemsen Mnyim thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve and reflected on the experience gained during their tenure.

“At every stage in life, everywhere you are called to serve is a school. We have learnt a lot while working with you,” Mnyim said.

The outgoing commissioners have been directed to formally hand over to the Permanent Secretaries of their respective ministries as soon as possible.

The spokesman of the opposition coalition, Bolajia Abdullahi, says Labour Party (LP)’s Peter Obi has been part of the group from its inception.

Abdullahi said this on Wednesday when he was featured on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

“Peter Obi has been part of the coalition from day one. Peter Obi has attended almost every meeting of the coalition,” the spokesman of the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), the platform for the opposition coalition, said on the current affairs show.

“The reason Peter Obi has not come into the ADC as a card-carrying member was because he asked for leave to allow him to complete the election that his people were involved in the Labour Party – the same thing applied to Mallam Nasir El-Rufai – and they were allowed by the leadership to complete the election processese that they started in their respective parties before they come into the ADC,” he said.

PDP On Monday, a former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, hinted that Obi, who was the LP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, would return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and vie for its ticket for the next poll.

Sheriff said Obi, who had indicated[interest in running for the presidency in two years, may return to the PDP under whose platform he (Obi) ran as vice president in the 2019 election.

He hinged his argument on the fact that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a part of the coalition – would run for the presidential seat in 2027.

“Atiku has been the vice president of Nigeria. So for him, (it is) president or nothing. Peter Obi ran under the Labour Party. His ambition is to become President,” the former governor said.

“Information available to me is that any moment from now, Obi would go back to the PDP and run as a presidential candidate under the PDP,” he added.

The coalition has several top politicians as members.

However, the ADC spokesman has dismissed claims that the platform was set up to power Atiku’s presidential ambition.

Abdullahi said, “What I know for a fact is that Peter Obi is in the coalition. I also know for a fact that this is not an Atiku coalition. Like I have said repeatedly, the ADC is not built on anybody’s ambition.”

“What is at stake is much bigger than every individual. I am 56, who says I don’t want to be president?”

On July 1, political bigwigs, including Atiku, a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, a former Rivers governor, Rotimi Amaechi, a former Osun governor, Rauf Aregbesola, among others, adopted the ADC as the platform for the coalition.

They vowed to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the next election.

Governor Otti

Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, the immediate past Deputy Governor of Abia State and a key figure in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has explained the reasons behind his recent visit to Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party.

The former Deputy Governor, who also served as Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly and Deputy Governor under ex-Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, met with Governor Otti at his Nvosi country residence on Tuesday evening.

Speaking exclusively to Vanguard, Sir Oko Chukwu emphasized that the visit was aimed at encouraging the Governor to continue with his commendable development efforts in the state.

He said, “I needed to convey my personal feelings about the achievements of the Governor who, I must say, has done well by all standards.”

The former Speaker stressed that the visit was not politically motivated, highlighting that being in the opposition does not prevent one from recognizing positive developments.

He declared, “You see, let me tell you, I’ve gone around Abia State, especially those of us who come from Abia North. You just discovered that the kind of road infrastructure that we have there is unprecedented.”

“It’s not all about politics. No propaganda about it. The truth must be told. There is a remarkable improvement now across Abia State.”

“The Governor has been very intentional in virtually everything that he’s doing. Is it in terms of road infrastructure, health, or sports? He is very, very intentional, and the results are showing.”

“In fact, going by what he has done so far, and without mincing words, Gov. Otti has earned himself another tenure.”

He went on to commend the noticeable changes in towns like Aba and Umuahia, adding, “Just try and move around Aba, move around Umuahia, and other towns, the level of cleanliness is such that we have not witnessed before. I’m not the only one observing these. People on the street can confirm it.”

“So, I went to commend him and to appreciate him and let him know that all hands are on deck to support him. And looking at all that he has been able to do within just two years, you can just be reassured that the man has earned himself another tenure,” Sir Oko Chukwu declared.

When asked if his visit implied that the administration he served was a failure, he clarified, “I wasn’t there to compare administrations. The essence of my visit was simply to encourage the Governor whom I have observed is doing well.”

On speculation about a possible defection from the PDP to the Labour Party, the former Deputy Governor dismissed such notions, saying, “It was not the import of the visit, stressing that if at any time he felt like leaving the PDP, he would equally make such move public.”

Sir Oko Chukwu was accompanied by some of his close aides, including his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Obasi.

Hon. Professor Paul Sunday Nnamchi, who represents the Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has commended the recently concluded House of Representatives Open Week as a landmark initiative designed to promote legislative openness, transparency, and public engagement.

Speaking in Abuja, Professor Nnamchi described the programme as a vital opportunity for the legislature to showcase its achievements and subject its performance to public evaluation.

“It was a moment of introspection, assessing our performance in enacting impactful laws, sponsoring motions, and evaluating our constitutional oversight and intervention roles,” he stated.

The lawmaker highlighted the significance of beginning the Open Week with a focus on agriculture, calling it a strategic move rather than mere coincidence.

He emphasized agriculture’s foundational role in national development, describing it as essential to food sovereignty, sustainable economic growth, and mass employment.

Nnamchi praised the strong participation of youth and various stakeholders, noting that their involvement represented a key moment to reshape perceptions about agriculture.

“It’s time to awaken a new generation to the dignity, innovation, and national importance of agriculture, not just as a livelihood, but as a noble and transformative profession,” he said.

Professor Nnamchi also stressed the importance of leveraging legislative power to drive economic empowerment, advocating for laws that remove financial barriers, improve access to capital, and reframe agriculture as a central pillar of inclusive national prosperity.

Further, he called for greater political inclusion of women, not as a token gesture, but as a democratic necessity.

He also advocated for reserved positions for persons with disabilities, asserting their right to leadership roles in public life.

Additionally, Professor Nnamchi called for a clearer constitutional definition of the role of traditional rulers, positioning them not only as custodians of culture but also as stabilizing forces within the broader governance framework.

“Our traditional institutions can play an integral role in maintaining societal order and promoting community development. Their constitutional relevance must be clearly recognized,” he concluded.