Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has relieved his special assistant on media, Abdullahi Mairiga of his duties.

The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the governor’s press secretary, Iliyasu Yakubu, on Monday in Lafia.

According to the statement, the governor thanked Mairiga for his service to the state and wished him well in his future endeavours.

No further details were given in the statement.

In another development, the state Deputy Governor, Damishi Barau, who had been suspended by the All Progressive Party, APC, dumped the party.

Barau was suspended on February 3, 2014, for publicly criticising the national leadership of the party over its stance that its lawmakers in the National Assembly should frustrate all executive bills until the political crisis in Rivers is resolved.

He handed a letter containing his intention to defect to the state secretary of the party, Mustapha Galadima, Monday morning.

The director of press affairs to the Deputy Governor, Danjuma Joseph, confirmed that his principal had withdrawn his membership from the opposition and would soon make a public announcement.

“My principal has submitted his letter of withdrawal from APC and will brief the press Tuesday on his next line of action,” he said.

Although Barau is yet to confirm the party he is moving to, the state publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mark Neto, said Barau would formally join the PDP on Tuesday.

There are also indications that five commissioners and two special advisers will join the Deputy Governor in the PDP.

Al-makura has come under threats of impeachement in recent weeks and, according to a source, there has been a game plan to woo his deputy to the PDP ahead of the governor’s impeachment.

According to the source, Barau will announce his defection on the eve of Al-makura’s impeachment and would take over as governor of the state as soon as his boss is removed.

The impeachment plan would be perfected by the state House of Assembly which has a majority of 19 PDP members, while Al-Makura’s APC has five lawmakers.

The governor has been finding it difficult to work with the assembly since his assumption of office in May 2011.