Embattled Edo LG Council Chairmen Berate Okpebholo, Lawmakers over their Suspension; Insist they were not appointed but elected

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The suspended chairmen and vice chairmen of the 18 local government councils in Edo State on Wednesday knocked the state government and the House of Assembly over their suspension, contending that the action ran contrary to the recent Supreme Court judgement, which granted autonomy to local government councils in the country.
At a press conference at the state secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) the chairmen also reminded the governor and the legislature of a recent court judgement by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, and an interim order restraining any such action against them.
Recall that the state House of Assembly, voting 14 to 10, suspended the leadership of the local government councils on Tuesday on allegations of insubordination and corruption raised by Governor Monday Okpebholo in his petition to the House.
Spokesman of the embattled chairmen and state chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, (ALGON) Newman Ugiagbe, accused the governor of playing politics, insisting that they were not appointed but elected for a three-year tenure, which expires September 2026.
Ugiagbe, , who is also the chairman of Orhionmwon local government council, said “Politics is different from governance. What is happening is politics, but we were not appointed into the office. We were elected by the people, and we are products of the law. This purported suspension was premised on “A Petition of Gross Misconduct And Insubordination Against The Leadership of 18 Local Government Councils” dated 16th December, 2024 from the Executive Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, wherein he referred to the Honourable House, what he termed “act of gross misconduct by the Chairman of Eighteen (18) Local Government Councils of Edo State” “pursuant to the provision of Section 10(1) of the Local Government Law (2000) of Edo State”.
Ugiagbe said through their lawyer, Ogaga Ovrawah (SAN) & Sons, they served the governor and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, a notice of Judgement in Suit No. B/257oS/2024:Hon. Newman Oghomwen Ugiagbe & 17 Ors delivered by the Chief Judge of Edo State High Court where he declared that Section 10(1) of the Edo State Local Government Law, 2000 conflicts with the provisions of Section 7(1) and (4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (as amended) and “thus unconstitutional, ultra vires, null and void and of no effect whatsoever” any directive by the governor to the state house of assembly to dissolve all of the democratically elected 18 Local Government Councils of the state before the expiration of their tenure, and that tenure is for three years.
He said a reminder of this judgement was served on the speaker in the early hours of Wednesday and he was also intimated of another suit instituted against “Edo State Government, the Governor of Edo State & Others in Suit No: B/3070S/2024 by Orhionmwon Local Government Council & 17 Ors, wherein the High Court of Justice No.2,Benin City, granted an Interim Order restraining the defendants therein from “interfering with, obstructing and disturbing the Claimants exercise of their Constitutional rights over all assets and funds allocated to them from the Federation Account” and, also “restrained the defendants from suspending, removing, redeploying, meddling or in any manner interfering with them in the administration and management of their Councils”.
The chairmen therefore called on security agencies, the Nigeria Police, DSS, NSCDC, and other institutions of government saddled with the responsibility of enforcing law or order “to protect all assets and buildings of our councils.”
But faulting the suspended chairmen, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Samson Osagie, said the lawmakers acted in order and that the outcome of the findings of the panel of inquiries set up by the governor to investigate the activities of the council chairmen would determine who finally gets axed among them.
Governor Okpebholo, while inaugurating an administrative panel of enquiry, explained that the chairmen’s refusal to comply with his directive to submit their financial statements prompted their suspension, stressing that accountability and transparency were the cornerstone of good governance. He described their action as a breach of public trust.
According to the governor, “As a leader, we must always scrutinise the welfare and confidence of our people, as Edo State will continue to set the standard for good governance. I hereby Inaugurate the Committee”.
Chairman of the committee, Solomon Imohiosen, a lawyer and retired permanent secretary, promised that they would be objective in carrying out their assignments.
Imohiosen said “The Executive Governor has the right under section 20 of the local government laws to dissolve the Council if the chairmen, or Vice Chairmen are not contributing or performing their functions judiciously to the welfare of the people.
“We assure Mr. Governor that the committee will do her best and be objective and look at the law and all the circumstances and report back in respect of what we have been assigned to do”.