Ben Ayade, the governor of Cross River State, may have set a record on Tuesday, October 25, 2016 when he appointed 1,106 persons into various positions in the southern Nigerian state.
The positions are in the categories of special advisers, special assistants, personal assistants as well as the chairmen and members of boards, commissions, departments and agencies.
The governor had, in a chat with journalists in August, disclosed that he would elect more than 1,000 political appointees for poverty alleviation in the state.
A breakdown of the latest appointment shows that 799 were appointed into various boards, commissions and agencies, while the remaining 307 appointees were categorised into special advisers (six), senior special advisers (30), special assistants (75) and Personal Assistants (25).
Others are personal assistants to paramount rulers (16), representatives of each local government in the state food bank unit (90), liaison officers for the 18 local government area and three senatorial districts (21), special assistants on religious affairs (18) and permanent secretaries (26).
So far, there are 28 commissioners in addition to 65 special advisers and more than 100 special assistants, personal assistants and community relations officers.
In a statement issued by Christian Ita, his senior special assistant on Media and chief press secretary, Ayade said the appointments would take effect from November 1, 2016.
