Edo Assembly Suspends LG Chairmen, Vice For Flouting Governor’s Directive

By Ayodele Oni

A last minute attempt by chairmen of Local Governments in Edo State to halt their suspension from office has failed as the State House of Assembly passed a resolution suspending Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the 18 Local Government Councils of the State for two months.

The House also mandated leaders of the legislative arms to take over leadership of their respective councils.

The decision followed refusal of the Chairmen to submit detailed accounts of their Councils to the Committee on assets verification as directed by Governor Monday Okpebholo.

A Benin High Court, presided over by Justice Efe Ikpomnwonba had restrained the Edo State Government, its privies, servants, agents, assigned or anyone acting for, and whosoever described, on behalf of the Edo State government from giving directives, orders or inferring with, interrupting, obstructing and or disturbing the 18 Local Government Council chairmen from exercising their constitutional duties.

The order however came after the Assembly had passed the motion to suspend the Chairmen and their Deputies for two months.

The suspension of the Council’s Chairmen and  deputies was sequel to a motion moved by the member representing Esan North East 1, Mr Isibor Adeh and seconded by the member representing Akoko-Edo two, Mr Donald Okogbe.

The State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, had written a petition to the House over the refusal of the chairmen to submit financial records of their Local Councils to the State Government.

In the letter, the Governor who described their action as an act of insubordination and gross misconduct, requested the House to look into the matter.

When the matter came up for debate, 14 members supported the motion for their suspension, six of them were opposed to the motion, while three members  refused to either support or oppose the motion.

The Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, had earlier told the members that all of them must speak on the matter.

After they had all spoken, the Speaker directed the Clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai, to do a head count of the members that supported or opposed the suspension of the  Chairmen and their deputies.

The state Government had, during a meeting, presided over by the Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, with the Councils’ Bosses gave them 48 hours to furnish it with their detailed accounts.

Idahosa, who represented Governor Monday Okpebholo, asked the  Chairmen to submit the statements to the Assets Verification Committee, through the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), and that the statement of accounts should be effective from 4th of September 2023 till date.