“[Governor Mimiko] is really preparing for the next governorship election and he does not know who to trust any longer,” the source continued.
The embattled Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, on Tuesday sacked all of his aides after running a cumbersome government at the expense of the State's funds. A well-placed source told SaharaReporters that the governor also has plans to re-shuffle his cabinet in preparation for the next governorship election of the state.
The sacked aides include his Special Assistants and Senior Special Assistants, who served in various capacities in his expensive administration. The governor had more than twenty aides who were provided official vehicles and monthly impress, yet some had no offices and collected huge salaries and bonuses.
Governor Mimiko announced their disengagement when he invited the aides to a short meeting at the Babafunke Ajasin Auditorium in Akure, the Ondo State capital. He said the disengagement of the aides was a step towards adjusting his government to better deliver services.
SaharaReporters’ correspondent reported that many of the aides who had waited patiently for the arrival of the governor to the event were shocked by the announcement that they had been sacked.
The Governor on Monday also dismissed sixteen out of eighteen of the Interim Local Government Chairmen and immediately appointed new ones.
SaharaReporters gathered that Governor Mimiko's action comes amidst fear of his government being probed by the Buhari administration.
"You recalled that he dissolved some caretaker chairmen yesterday [Monday] and immediately appointed new ones for replacement despite the fact that he ordered the State House of Assembly to elongate their tenure during an emergency meeting last month,” the source said.
“[Governor Mimiko] is really preparing for the next governorship election and he does not know who to trust any longer,” the source continued. "I can tell you that the governor has plans to dissolve his cabinet and send some of his commissioners packing but he is still working out the calculation because he knew if he did that now, many of his former commissioner would defects to the All Progressives Congress.”