There are plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Edo State Government to remove all local government chairmen elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) across the 18 local government area of the state, Saturday Telegraph can now reveal.
Recall that the Edo State House of Assembly had on December 17 passed a resolution suspending chairmen and vice chairmen of the 18 local government councils of the state for two months.
The House also mandated leaders of the legislative arms to take over the leadership of their respective councils.
The suspension was as a result of a letter written by Governor Monday Okpebholo to the house of assembly requesting the suspension of the council chairmen on the grounds of gross misconduct and insubordination.
A reliable source told Saturday Telegraph under anonymity that, “The grand plan is to remove the 18 local government chairmen using impeachment plot having failed with the suspension ploy, which was deflated by the ruling of an Edo State High Court in the suit filed by the council chairmen against the Governor, the Deputy Governor, the state Attorney General, the state Accountant General and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Community and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The suit, presided over by Justice Efe Ikponmwonba, restrained the defendants by “themselves their privies, servants, agent, howsoever named or described from in any way giving effect to, or acting on the resolution suspending the Claimants’ elected Chairman/Vice Chairmen purportedly made by the Edo State House of Assembly on the 16/12/2024 or any other day, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice in this suit filed on the 12/12/2024. Again, the pronouncement by the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), which declared the suspension of the 18 council chairmen illegal, citing the Supreme Court judgement on Local Government autonomy.”
Another source added, “The pattern is what was experimented in Egor LG council, where the Chairman, Hon Eghe Ogbemudia, was purportedly impeached on December 27, 2024 by the legislative arm, while Hon. Kelvin Eguakun, the leader of the council’s legislative arm, was sworn in as acting chairman.
“Since then, other council chairmen – Owan East, Aminu Kadiri; Estako East, Princess Benedita Attoh had been purportedly impeached, while heads of the legislative arms of the local government councils took over as acting chairmen.
“In Uhunmwonde on Thursday, several people were injured as gunmen attacked people, injuring many of them in an attempt to impeach the council Chairman, Hon. Kenneth Adodo, who later alleged that the people that came to shoot were policemen from the Edo State Government House.
“Again, councillors in Orhionmwon on Wednesday impeached the leader of the legislative arm, Hon Daniel Osariemen, and replaced him with Hon Chuks Isan as they got wind that Osariemen was being mobilised to impeach the council Chairman, Hon Newman Ugiagbe and his deputy, Midwest Ogbebor.
“The purportedly suspended leader, Osariemen later led some unknown persons to take over the secretariat of the council in Abudu, where he resumed as the Acting Chairman of the local government council.”
Ugiagbe in a statement by his Press Secretary, Roy Osariemen, said that the action in Abudu was illegal and that Ugiagbe remained the chairman of the local government council.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a press statement with the title; “Extermination of Constitutional Democracy in Edo,” signed by the Acting Chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi on Thursday accused the Edo State Government of perpetrating lawlessness and disregarding the rule of law. The party also accused him of using political thugs to enforce the illegal suspension of the 18 local government council chairmen and their vice.
He said. “We are compelled to call this press conference today to update the general public and all other stakeholders on the ongoing extermination of constitutional democracy, lawlessness, and blatant disregard for the rule of law by the Edo State Government under the leadership of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
“We are deeply worried that if urgent and decisive action is not taken to address this lawlessness and restore order within the system, we may witness an escalation that could result in crisis, anarchy, and chaos and which presents a clear and imminent danger of a breakdown of law and order in Edo State.”
But in his reaction, the Acting Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe, said that the allegations of “extermination of constitutional democracy” and “lawlessness” by the Caretaker Committee of the PDP in the state against the state government are unfounded and libelous, adding that the party is in support of the impeachment of the council chairmen.
He said. “For the record, the suspension of chairmen and vice chairmen of the 18 local government councils in the state by the House of Assembly was done to maintain order and stability in the state.
