The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has kicked over the Edo State House of Assembly’s suspension of all the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the 18 Local Government Councils over allegation of “misappropriation of funds” and “insubordination.”
PDP’s Edo Chapter instructed the council chairmen and their deputies to resume their duties tomorrow Wednesday and continue with their responsibilities.
It called on the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federation to intervene and rein in the Edo State Governor, whose actions, the PDP argues, are in violation of the Constitution and pose a potential threat to public security.
The decision to suspend the local council administrators was taken during the plenary, following a letter from new Governor Monday Okpebholo on Tuesday.
It generated a heated debate by the various lawmakers representing the local councils.
Meanwhile, the heads of the various legislative arm have been directed to oversee the running of the councils for the next two months.
The House 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 the fallout of a motion moved by the member representing Esan North East I, Isibor Adeh, and seconded by the member representing Akoko-Edo Constituency II, Donald Okogbe.
Governor Okpebholo had written a petition to the House over the refusal of the chairmen to submit financial records of their councils to the state government.
In the letter, the Governor described the council bosses’ action as an act of insubordination and gross misconduct, and requested the Edo State House of Assembly investigate the matter.
However, the Edo State chapter of PDP condemned what it described as “the illegal suspension of the Chairmen of the 18 local councils of Edo State.”
The Edo PDP Chairman, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, said in a statement that the development is unconstitutional and null and void.
According to Aziegbemi, the illegal suspension is a blatant disregard of the recent ruling of the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, and the Supreme Court’s decision, in a suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, which affirmed the autonomy and independence of local governments as guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said: “How can a Governor direct the State Assembly to suspend democratically elected chairmen of the 18 local councils for insubordination when these elected officials enjoy autonomy and independence as enshrined in the Constitution and are not subordinates of the governor, the State Assembly, or any other arm of government?
“We are also aware that the chairmen and their vices weren’t even allowed to be heard in their defence and were suspended unheard on trumped up charges, disregarding the Constitution.”
An aide to the former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, yesterday, said that Okpebholo has taken impunity in government to an unprecedented height by ordering the Edo Assembly to suspend the council chairmen.
He also alluded to the ruling of the Chief Judge of Edo State, who declared that the state government and the state House of Assembly or their agents have no right to suspend or dissolve elected council officials.
The State Chief Judge had cited the recent judgment delivered by the Supreme Court in a suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, which ordered that elected council members cannot be dissolved by the state government, House of Assembly, or its agents.
