More facts have emerged on the resignation last week of Dr. Jimmy Ajim as Director-General Plenipotentiary and Liaison Affairs to the Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia.
Although the appointee cited ‘personal reasons’ for his decision, our correspondent reliably gathered on Sunday that after months of working without statutory benefits and basic office resources, Dr. Ajim became increasingly frustrated by a lack of financial and logistical support from the administration.
A competent source familiar with the matter confirmed that Dr. Ajim was also frustrated with the system where he had severally been denied access to the Governor, a condition which hindered him from delivering on his set goals.
According to the source who pleaded not be quoted, Dr. Ajim performed his duties for months without access to a dedicated office budget, an official vehicle and routine allowances—including initial first 28‑days, annual furniture, housing and leave entitlements—items statutorily provided to political appointees.
“Dr. Ajim was not happy that since appointment, he had no access to financial resources to utilize in delivering on his mandates.
“The Governor is mostly inaccessible to aides. How do you work with a principal that you can hardly see in person to exchange ideas on serious governance issues?” the source noted.
Dr. Ajim who was appointed to the position in October 2024, resigned on 30th July 2026.
In a resignation letter dated 30th July 2026, Dr. Ajim thanked Governor Alia for the appointment and said his resignation will take effect on August 10, 2026.
He offered to assist with a handover before his departure.
Dr. Ajim, a long-serving protocol officer at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, represented the top oil giant in London from 2014 to 2019 before retiring from service.
NewsQuest reports that his resignation may also not be unconnected with factional struggles in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, particularly a long rivalry between Governor Alia’s faction of the party and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume and his political allies.
