There are indications that Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State may likely sack the secretary to the State Government ((SSG), Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda over his recent comments on security issues and political activities in the state. Jidda is the longest serving SSG in Borno State since its creation, haven served under both military and civilian administrations. He was inherited by Shettima from former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff who completed his second term in 2011. The SSG had recently issued a statement in Abuja in which he called for the suspension of politicking in Borno State due to precarious security situation.
[eap_ad_1] It was learnt that the statement did not go down well with the state government. Before he issued the statement, Jidda was not seen participating in state affairs for some time and it’s been long he was seen at the government house. Sources close to the Borno State Government said Shettima may ease Jidda out of office so as to avoid a situation where he (Jidda) will tender his resignation. It was gathered that the SSG was not comfortable with the current political permutation of both Shettima and other politicians in the state ahead of 2015 elections. There are indications that the governor will support his Chief of Staff Alhaji Abubakar Kyari for the northern Borno Senatorial seat under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Jidda is also interested in the same seat having contested for it twice in the past. It is not clear if Jidda will remain in the APC or will move to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He once won the governorship seat of Borno state in 1999 under the PDP but was only declared winner at the tail end of late Mala Kachalla’s tenure who governed under the platform of the defunct APP. All is not well with the politics of Borno State. The governor had over a month ago sacked all his commissioners, advisers and special assistants. He was yet to constitute a new one even as he had dropped all the caretaker chairmen of the 27 local government areas in the state. Sources said he was waiting for the formal declaration of former Governor Sheriff for the PDP before constituting a new cabinet. “The idea is to weed out those that have dual loyalty,” a source said. (Daily Trust)
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