LGA Chairmen Exonerated from financial impropriety will return to office -EDSG

LGA Chairmen Exonerated from financial impropriety will return to office- EDSG

By Adesuwa Louisa E. 

Amid the controversy surrounding the suspension of 18 elected council chairmen in Edo State, the state government has assured the public that those exonerated by the audit probe will return to their respective offices.

This assurance comes in response to the public anxiety and confusion caused by the suspension order issued by the state assembly.

To alleviate the tension generated by the suspensions, the state government through the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Samson Osagie, assured that the democratic institutions at the local government level remain intact and robust.

He explained that the decision to suspend the council chairmen was necessary to facilitate a thorough investigation into the councils’ financial records, in line with the new democratic standards introduced by Senator Monday Okpevbolo’s administration.

Hon. Osagie further clarified that the chairmen were suspended for only two months to allow for a thorough investigation and accountability.

He added that those found to have violated the law will face legal consequences, while the innocent ones will be reinstated after the inquiry.

Earlier, the Local government Chairmen in the 18 council in the state under the umbrella of Association of Local government Chairmen of Nigeria,ALGON addressed a Press conference at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of journalists, NuJ, Edo state council in Benin.

The chairman of Orhionmwon local government, Hon Newman Ugiagbe who doubles as the Edo ALGON chairman while Addressing newsmen argued that they are duly elected and that the action of the Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday 17th December, 2024 in response to the request from Governor Monday Okpebholo, suspending the Chairmen/Vice Chairmen is ultra vires and therefore a nullity because it is based on nothing in the eyes of the Law.

The Chairman, ALGON, Edo State also described their purported suspension as a contempt against the order of the court.

He urged the 18 LGA chairmen to maintain law and order, saying, “We will go about our lawful duties in the local government councils. Nobody can truncate our mandate as we are lawfully elected officials.”

He said the elected 18 Local Council Government Chairmen had through their Lawyer, Ogaga Ovrawah (SAN) & Sons served on The Executive Governor, Edo State of Nigeria and The Honourable Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, “A Notice of Judgment in Suit No. B/2570S/2624: Hon. Newman Oghomwen Ugiagbe & 17 Others” delivered by the Hon. Chief Judge of Edo State High Court of Justice wherein he granted the following orders:

“A declaration 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 to the extent that it provides that upon the 1st Defendant’s action, request or otherwise, the Edo Assembly by its resolution so direct the 1st Defendant action to dissolve all of the democratically elected 18 Local Government Councils of Edo State of which the Claimants are Chairmen on or before the expiration/lapse of the tenure of three years stipulated under the said Edo State Law, 2000.”

He added that a reminder was served on the Honourable speaker in the early hour of December 16, 2024 wherein 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.
, The High Court of Justice No. 2, Benin City granted an Interim Order restraining, the defendants therein from “interfering with, obstructing 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.