Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has appointed himself as the Commissioner for Lands, Survey, and Physical Planning in the state. He made the announcement on Tuesday during the inauguration of 24 newly-appointed commissioners at the Government House in Owerri.
According to him, the self-appointment is a measure to prevent a repeat of past incidents, citing the example of a previous commissioner who was embroiled in controversial land deals towards the end of his first tenure. In November 2023, Governor Uzodimma suspended the state Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Physical Planning, Noble Atulegwu.
This situation is not strange to the Nigerian system, as a similar move occurred in Osun State when Governor Adeleke appointed himself and his deputy as Commissioner of Works and Commissioner for Sports and Special Needs respectively.
Former president Muhammadu Buhari also appointed himself as the petroleum minister in 2015, though this appointment has been contested in courts. There is no precedent that says a member of the executive cannot hold dual positions within the executive arm, and the Nigerian constitution is silent on this matter.
