Gov. Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi is retaining nine of the 16 commissioners who served in the cabinet of his predecessor, Gov. Yahaya Bello.
He made his decision known shortly after he was sworn in as the fifth executive governor of Kogi in Lokoja yesterday.
Ododo is also retaining the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Folashade Ayoade and the State Security Adviser, retired Commodore Jerry Omodara.
The commissioner nominees are Mr Wemi Jones, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, Mr Bashir Abubakar and Messrs Abdulsalami Ozigi, Idris Asiwaju, Mohammed Abdulmutalib, and Barr. Yunus Abdullahi
Others include Mr Sunday Faleke, Mr Segun Joseph, Mr Timothy Ojoma, Mrs Rabiat Momoh, and Dr Adams Abdulaziz.
Ododo also appointed Alhaji Ali Bello as his Chief of Staff; Mrs Hillary Ojoma as Deputy Chief of Staff and Mr Elijah Jelele as Head of Service.
The governor also appointed a Chief Press Secretary, a Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, a Director-General of Protocols, a Director-General of Government House and a Legal Adviser as some of his aides.
He appealed to the leadership of Kogi State House of Assembly to give all the nominees expeditious consideration to ensure unhindered operations in the Executive arm of government.
The new governor served as Auditor-General (Local Governments) in Yahaya Bello’s cabinet.
He took over from Alhaji Yahaya Bello who left office after eight years.
The swearing in ceremony which was held at the Muhammadu Buhari Civic Centre in Lokoja was conducted by the chief judge of the state, Hon. Justice Joseph Josiah Majebi with dignitaries from across Nigeria including Nigeria’s Vice President Kasshim Shetima and national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Abdulahi Ganduje among others in attendance.
He took the oath of office at exactly 2:30 pm after which he presented the highest award in the state to Yahaya Bello.
In his acceptance speech after the swearing ceremony, Ododo expressed gratitude to God for making his election and swearing in a reality and commended Bello for his support during the electioneering campaign period and the victory of the APC.
He urged all opponents that contested to join hands to move the state to the next level, stressing that it was time to build a united Kogi State.
The governor pointed out that the state cannot afford to go back to the era of ethnic divisive tendencies that rocked the state in the past.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for allowing level playing ground.
