Unconfirmed sources inside government circles in Calabar have just informed www.calitown.com that there was a grand scheme in motion to make state governor, Liyel Imoke, settle for an outside choice as his Chief of Staff, replacing Alex Egbona, who voluntarily resigned to pursue his political ambition.
While Jude Ngaji, the new Chief of Staff was Egbona’s deputy, it is believed according to those sources that a few studs were kept in the way, to prevent Ngaji from taking over from Egbona. Primarily, the ethnic card was brandished, considering that Ngaji is from Ogoja, North of CRS while Imoke is from Abi LGA, in the Central Senatorial district. A close confidant of His Excellency, Eja Dons Esege, also from Abi LGA, it seems was ‘anointed’ for the job by a few faceless persons, without Imoke’s nod and as underhand tactics were being perfected to put Esege in the seat Egbona vacated, the governor dealt those in the project a blow by personally picking Ngaji as his Chief of Staff, to the surprise and shock of the scheming group.
“You know the people were convinced that Eja is better equipped to operate as Imoke’s Chief of Staff, but clearly the governor had other ideas. You can even remember that this Chief of Staff position was viciously fought for by His Excellency’s boys, at the beginning of his governorship. He had to settle them with other offices and let Egbona who was deputy chief of staff during Donald Duke’s time, step in as Chief of Staff”, one source who refuses to be quoted, submits.
While several persons have hailed Ngaji elevation as a demonstration of Imoke’s believe in youth, some believe that by sticking to his choice for the position, the governor has demonstrated once more that he is his own man, even in the face of all the intrigues that he daily contends with.
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