Edo state government has ordered the Honourable council Chairmen of the eighteen (18) local government areas in the state to assume authority and take charge of the LGAs pending the outcome of the suspension order issued to the Executive Chairmen by Edo State lawmakers on Tuesday.
Reactions have continued to trail the suspension of eighteen (18) LG Chairmen by the Edo State House of Assembly EDSHA on Tuesday at a plenary.
At the plenary therefore , EDSHA pronounced the petition that led to the suspend all the eighteen (18) elected local government council chairmen in the state for alleged insubordination and gross misconduct as 9News Nigeria reports.
Before the members of the Edo House of Assembly EDSHA present at the Tuesday’s plenary, the Speaker directed Leaders of the legislature in the eighteen (18) local government areas of Edo state Nigeria to oversee the running of the councils for the next two months.
Investigation by 9News Nigeria reveals that the 24-member Edo House of Assembly is dominated by members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The facts before our News desk is that a petition by Governor Monday Okpebholo led to their immediate suspension by the ESHA on Tuesday plenary.
In the petition, the governor accused the LG chairmen of refusing to submit financial accounts of their local government to the state government.
The governor who described the action of the LG chairmen as insubordination and gross misconduct, requested the House to look into the matter.
The motion for the suspension of the council’s chairmen and their deputies was moved by Mr. Isibor Addeh, an APC member representing Esan North-East _1 and seconded by Donald Okogbe, PDP, representing Akoko-Edo- II.
Factually, the motion was debated and at the end of the debate, 14 members voted in support of the suspension, six opposed while three members abstained.
Notably, eighteen (18) Local government chairmen and one hundred and ninety two (192 ) ward councillors were elected on September 2, 2023 and till the date and time of this suspension, 9News reports that these local government lawmakers and Chairmen have been on thorough check by government and trials by the electorates at respective wards and constituencies across Edo state.
Okpebholo had on December 3, 2024, given the LG chairmen 48 hours to submit statements of account of their respective councils to the Assets Verification Committee.
Governor Okpebholo directed the council chairmen to submit the statements to the Assets Verification Committee, through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG.
According to the governor , “the statements would help and enable the Assets Verification Committee to do its job effectively and efficiently from September till the date.
Meanwhile, the suspension takes immediate effect and the council leaders are ordered by law to take charge of the leadership pending the end point of the matter. This implies that Edo LGA Chairmen are officially suspended by ESHA following the alarm raised by the executive via petition on misappropriation and unparliamentary conducts.
On my interaction with some LGA Chairmen and Councilors in Edo State, they confirmed the state of suspension and are ready to challenge the government in court.
-Princely Onyenwe reporting
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