2nd Term: Only 30% of Ahmed’s ex-cabinet members to return …as gov plans lean government, shops for

Only 30 per cent of the sacked members of the Kwara State Executive Council will be re-appointed as cabinet members in Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed's second term, National Pilot has learnt. According to multiple sources, who disclosed this information to this medium over the weekend, the governor is determined to run a lean government that will be dominated by technocrats, who will assist him to deliver on his electioneering promises.

Ahmed in his second term inaugural speech said: ''Certainly, I, Abdulfatah Ahmed, will not rest until the prosperity that our state once enjoyed is restored. My administration's priority remains the people's welfare. ''We will build more schools, roads, hospitals, power projects and structures needed to get more of our youths working, businesses growing, food on more tables and greater prosperity for everyone who calls Kwara State home. ''This administration will upscale development and boost entrepreneurship to get a greater number of our youths working. Starting from today, we will begin the work of transforming our state to the North Central's Economic hub “…In working towards these targets, I will build a team of experienced men and women, who share our vision and are prepared to put in the hard work necessary for the task ahead. ''We must all be prepared to tighten our belts, to make sacrifices, and moderate our expectations of government''. To this end, one of the sources said, the governor at a meeting recently with his sacked cabinet members, reportedly told them that he would run a lean government that will be formed by technocrats. The source added that Ahmed also held a similar meeting with the General Managers and Heads of the state's owned agencies and parastatals, where he told them his vision for the next four years. One of the sources said: ''Only 30 per cent of the sacked members of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed's first term cabinet will be re-appointed in his new cabinet and the governor had also told them at a recent meeting he held with them in Ilorin recently. ''In this second term, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed is determined and ready to surpass his first term achievements and to realise this, he would play less of politics and concentrate on good governance and dividends of democracy. ''With this development and going by the determination of the governor, more technocrats will be appointed into his cabinet; while a few politicians will be considered in his new cabinet. Also, the governor may streamline his appointment and scrap some political offices in order to operate a lean cabinet and to ensure that those who will serve in his government are goal getters and result-oriented''. ''To form a new cabinet, the governor is already shopping for technocrats, who are determined to play less attention to politics; but rather, will strive to ensure that all his electioneering promises are achieved before his tenure expires in May, 2019.''