Enang to Governors: Reassess Commissioners’ Roles in Line with Constitution

Ugbede James Ankpa

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ita Enang, has called on state governors to critically review the roles and responsibilities of commissioners and political aides to ensure alignment with constitutional provisions.

Enang, who previously served as Senior Special Assistant to the late President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters (Senate), gave the advice on Thursday in Abuja while speaking with journalists.

His remarks came in the wake of Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru’s suspension of several commissioners and special advisers for failing to attend what was termed an “important government function.” The suspension was announced in a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Monday Uzor.

Reacting, Enang underscored the importance of clearly defining the duties of commissioners and aides. He cautioned against arbitrary demands that fall outside the scope of their designated responsibilities.

“I have heard of instances in several states where governors insist their aides must attend events that fall outside their designated portfolios,” he said. “I call on governors — whether from the APC, PDP, or any other party — to re-evaluate the roles of their commissioners and other aides. Assign them specific duties and require regular performance reports weekly or bi-weekly.”

According to Enang, attendance at official functions should be based on relevance to an aide’s or commissioner’s area of responsibility. He noted that a governor should receive a detailed written briefing from the relevant commissioner ahead of any public engagement or inspection.

Drawing from his time under the Buhari administration, Enang recalled that scheduling and coordination were properly managed. “When we worked with President Buhari, the Chief of Staff and the Chief of Protocol handled logistics and scheduling in collaboration with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Not everyone accompanied the President, and movement was properly streamlined.”

He expressed disapproval of governors who travel with large entourages, describing it as an unnecessary show of power. “Nowadays, it is not uncommon to see governors traveling with convoys of over 60 vehicles — more of a display of power than necessity,” he remarked.

While acknowledging Governor Nwifuru’s constitutional authority to appoint or suspend aides, Enang questioned the justification behind suspending commissioners for non-attendance at a particular event.

“He has the power to suspend them, yes. But citing their absence from an event as the reason raises concerns. Commissioners have constitutional responsibilities tied to specific ministries such as education, agriculture, and health. Their attendance at events should be relevant to their duties.”

He urged the institutionalisation of clear protocols for official outings, recommending that the Chief of