In an obvious panicky move driven by desperation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to win the Saturday, March 18 guber and assembly poll in Enugu state, the Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area (LGA), has suspended the salaries and allowances of political appointees in the council, pending the outcome of the election and their ability to deliver their wards.
By Emma Ogbuehi
In an obvious panicky move driven by desperation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to win the Saturday, March 18 governorship and assembly poll in Enugu state, the Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area (LGA), has suspended the salaries and allowances of political appointees in the council, pending the outcome of the election and their ability to deliver their wards.
Lifting the order will be determined by their ability to deliver their respective wards to the PDP in the election. The directive was contained in a memo, title; Cessation of salaries and other allowances, dated February 28, 2023 and signed by Donatus Ugwu for the Executive Chairman.
The memo read;
“Be informed that salaries and allowances of all political appointees of the Local Government Council have been put on hold until after the elections.
“All concerned (political appointees) are to deliver on their political mandates in their various poling units, etc to the PDP in the elections with evidence thereafter which the restrictions on salaries and other allowances will be lifted, if need be”.
The instruction was copied the HPM, Treasurer and Payroll Officer.
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An official of the council who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, criticised the memo as the height of desperation by the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration, since the governor lost his senatorial aspiration to Labour Party (LP) candidate, Okey Ezea in the February 25 presidential and national assembly elections. He said; “Gburugburu (Governor Ugwuanyi), has been quite rattled since his poor outing at the February 25 presidential and national assembly elections. His political career, just like others in the PDP, has been threatened. Their party has lost at the national level, though they are contesting the declaration of Bola Tinubu of APC as the winner of the election.
“Losing also at the state level would mean double jeopardy. That explains the desperation in their fold as manifested in this unreasonable, memo”, he said.
Enugu state government is not losing anything to chance in the election on Saturday. With a governorship candidate, Peter Mbah that is largely seen as a continuation of the old order that has not taken the state far in terms of development, Governor Ugwuanyi and his henchmen are obviously rattled by the overwhelming influence of Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Chijioke Edeoga.