18/12/2024
The Edo State House of Assembly yesterday passed a resolution suspending chairmen and vice chairmen of the 18 local government councils of the state for two months.
The Assembly also mandated leaders of the legislative arms to take over leadership of their respective councils.
The suspension of the council chairmen and their 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 2, Mr Donald Okogbe.
The governor, Monday Okpebholo had earlier written a petition to the Assembly over refusal of the chairmen to submit financial records of their local government to the state government.
In the letter, the Governor, who described their action as an act of insubordination and gross misconduct, requested the Assembly 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, Mr Blessing Agbebaku told the members that all of them must speak on the matter.
After they had all spoken, the Speaker directed the Clerk of the Assembly, Mr Yahaya Omogbai to do a headcount of the members, who supported or opposed the suspension of the council’s chairmen and their deputies.
Reacting to the suspension, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the suspended council chairmen and their vice to go back to their duty posts, saying the governor and the Assembly or any of their agents lack the powers to do so.
Aziegbemi recalled that prior to “this illegal suspension”, the state Chief Judge, Daniel Okungbowa had told the Assembly that they lacked the powers to unilaterally tamper with the affairs of elected local government councils following the financial autonomy granted them by the recent Supreme Court ruling.
He said there was a subsistent restraining order obtained by the council against any form of suspension or dissolution handed over to the state lawmaker, adding that whatever action they may have taken remained unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect.
“What the Assembly did today cannot stand because of the apex court ruling granting financial autonomy to elected local government councils in the country.
“We, therefore, called on the Federal Government to obey the latest judgement, which it sponsored, by seizing allocations meant for the 18 local government councils as the Supreme Court said until the Chairmen and their Vice Chairmen return to their seats.”
Aziegbemi further argued that following the apex court ruling, local government councils are not answerable to either the state governor and state assembly but to elected councillors in the local governments which Attorney General of the Federal (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi also affirmed.