29th February, 2012
Senator Liyel Imoke, who was sworn in Tuesday to begin his second term as Cross River State governor, dissolved his longstanding executive council shortly after taking oath of office.
Imoke, who travelled to Abuja shortly after taking oath of office, left word with the State Broadcasting Corporation CRBC which relieved members of the exco of their jobs and thanked them for their services while wishing them well in their future endeavours.
The statement asked the outgoing executive council members to hand over to the permanent secretaries in their ministries or departments.
Since 2007, when he assumed office, Senator Imoke worked significantly with the same group of people in his executive council without making any serious changes.
He made attempts to dissolve the executive council in 2009 but after serious pressure, he returned virtually all the members excepti the then Information Commissioner who was demoted to the membership of the Universal Basic Education.
With several groups seeking for recognition after assisting him during his re-election campaign, he would be under severe pressure over who to appoint into the new council and the plethora of agencies he created in the last five years.
—Emma Una/Calabar