The Edo State Home of Meeting, on Tuesday, handed a decision suspending the chairmen and vice chairmen of the 18 native authorities councils of the state for 2 months.
The Home additionally mandated leaders of the legislative arms to take over management of their respective councils.
The suspension of the council chairmen and their deputies was sequel to a movement moved by the member representing Esan North East 1, Isibor Adeh and seconded by the member representing Akoko-Edo 2, Mr Donald Okogbe.
Governor Monday Okpebholo had earlier written a petition to the Home over the refusal of the chairmen to submit monetary data of their native authorities to the state authorities.
Within the letter, the governor, who described the LG chairmen’s refusal as an act of insubordination and gross misconduct, requested the Home to look into the matter.
When the matter got here up for debate on Tuesday, 14 members supported the movement for the suspension of the LG chairmen, six lawmakers had been against the movement whereas three members maintained neutrality.
The Speaker of the Home, Blessing Agbebaku, instructed the members that every one of them should converse on the matter.
The Speaker mentioned, “I’ll implore that every one members of the Home converse on this matter earlier than a call is taken.”
After that they had all spoken, the Speaker directed the Clerk of the Home, Yahaya Omogbai, to do a head depend of the members who supported or opposed the suspension of the council’s chairmen and their deputies.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Get together within the state condemned the suspension of the 18 native authorities chairman.
In an announcement by the Edo PDP Caretaker Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, the social gathering mentioned that the chairmen and their vice weren’t given the chance to defend themselves describing the suspension as unconstitutional.
“The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Get together condemns within the strongest phrases the unlawful suspension of the Chairmen of the 18 Native Authorities Areas of Edo State by the Edo State Home of Meeting, following the directive of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
“We need to clearly state that this motion is unconstitutional, null, and void.
“The unlawful suspension is a blatant disregard for the latest ruling of the Chief Choose of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, and the Supreme Courtroom’s choice, in a go well with filed by the Legal professional Common of the Federation and Minister of Justice, which affirmed the autonomy and independence of native governments as assured underneath the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The PDP contended that Governor Okpebholo lacked the facility to demand the monetary statements of the LGA within the gentle of the Supreme Courtroom judgment granting LGs autonomy.
“How can a governor direct the state Meeting to droop democratically elected chairmen of the 18 native councils for insubordination when these elected officers get pleasure from autonomy and independence as enshrined within the Structure and should not subordinates of the governor, the State Meeting, or another arm of presidency?
“We’re additionally conscious that the chairmen and their vices weren’t even given the chance to be heard of their defence and had been suspended unheard on watery trumped-up prices, in whole disregard to the Structure.
“We need to restate that the Structure stays supreme, and any try and undermine its provisions or disregard the judiciary and its rulings is just not solely unlawful but in addition a direct assault on democracy and the rule of legislation.
“The Speaker of the Edo State Home of Meeting and all the Meeting have clearly overstepped their constitutional mandates with this unlawful motion and we urge them to right away reverse its choice, with respect to the rule of legislation and democratic governance.”
In an interview with The PUNCH, one of many LG chairmen, who spoke anonymously as a result of he was not been authorised to talk on the matter, mentioned the Affiliation of Native Authorities of Nigerian within the state would make his place identified within the coming days.
He mentioned, “We obtained the discover of the suspension however I can not converse on the matter as I’m not the ALGON Chairman of the state.
“Nonetheless, we are going to make our place identified within the coming days.”
