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The Edo State House of Assembly, has suspended the 18 local government council Chairmen and Vice Chairmen in the state for two months over allegation of insubordination and gross misconduct.
Daily Trust reports that the suspension followed a resolution passed by the state House of Assembly during plenary on Tuesday.
The House however mandated the leaders of the legislative arms of the local government to take over leadership and affairs of their respective councils.
The chairmen and their deputies’ suspension followed a motion moved by Hon. Isibor Adeh, member representing Esan North East Constituency I, and seconded by Hon. Donald Okogbe, member representing Akoko-Edo Constituency II.
The state Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, had in a letter informed the House over the refusal of the chairmen to submit financial records of their local government to the state government to the Asset Verification Committee as requested.
In the letter, the governor while describing the chairmen’s action as an act of insubordination and gross misconduct, requested the House to look into the matter.
While debating the matter during plenary, 14 members supported the motion for suspension, six opposed, while 3 members abstained from either supporting or opposing the motion.
The Speaker, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, thereafter directed the clerk of the House, Mr Yahaya Omogbai, to do a headcount of the members supporting the motion for suspension and those opposing it.
Recall that Governor, Okpebholo, had on December 3, gave 48 hours’ ultimatum to the 18 local government council chairmen to submit their statement of accounts to the Assets Verification Committee he set up to probe the immediate past administration.
He directed that the councils’ statement of accounts should be effective from September, 4, 2023 till date to enable the committee do its job effectively and efficiently.
Crusoe Osagie, the spokesperson for former Governor Godwin Obaseki, said Okpebholo had taken impunity in government to another level with the suspension.
Osagie, in a statement, said the suspension came despite the ruling of the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, who declared that the state government, and the state House of Assembly or their agents had no right to suspend or dissolve elected local government council officials.
