By Suleiman’ Anyalewechi
The 18 suspended Edo State Local Council Chairmen, on Thursday, January 23, 2025, warned against any attempt by individuals and groups to fiddle with funds belonging to the Local Government Areas.
The Source reports that the All Progressive Congress, APC, led administration in the State, had, on December 15, 2024, controversially suspended the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Council Officials.
The State authorities had cited the refusal of the Council Officials, to make available their financial books to the State’s constituted “Asset Verification Committee as a major reason for the action
The suspension order has since been challenged by the Council Chairmen and the PDP at the Courts.
In a notice issued by their lead counsel, Oluwole Uzzi, the embattled Council Chairmen cautioned banks in the country against dealing with unauthorized persons or groups, apart from the legitimately elected officials of the Local Councils.
The notice warned of serious legal consequences for any defaulting financial institutions.
It would be recalled that the Supreme Court of Nigeria had, in a landmark verdict in 2024, established the financial autonomy of the Third Tier of Government.
The Country’s apex court had, among other things, ordered the direct remittance of Federal Allocations to the Councils, as well as the withholding of funds accruing to the ones which leaderships were not democratically elected.
Instructively too, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, had faulted the suspension order on the grounds that it is against the grains of the Supreme Court’s pronouncement on the autonomy of Local Government Area.
The Suspended Council Chairmen noted that any banks ignoring the notice will be seen to be violating the Supreme Court ruling, as well as subsisting Court injunctions by Edo State High Court.
The Chairmen urged banks to resist attempts by unauthorized persons to operate existing accounts of the Councils or to open new ones without the expressed approvals of the democratically elected Officials.
“The implications of ignoring this warning are severe because you will not only risk facing legal actions, but would damage your reputation and compromise your relationship with the Local Government Councils.
“In the light of this development, it is essential for you to exercise extreme caution when dealing with the accounts of the 18 LGAs”, the Chairmen stated.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
