The Edo State House of Assembly recently passed a resolution to suspend the chairmen and vice chairmen of all 18 local government councils in the state for a period of two months. The legislative arms’ leaders have been tasked with taking over the leadership of their respective councils during this time.
The decision to suspend the council chairmen and their deputies was made following a motion put forward by a member of the assembly, citing the chairmen’s failure to submit financial records to the state government as the reason for their suspension. The governor had raised concerns over their insubordination and misconduct, prompting the House to address the issue.
During the debate, the majority of members supported the motion for suspension, while a minority opposed it and a few remained neutral. The Speaker emphasized that all members must voice their opinions before a decision is made, following which a head count was conducted to determine the level of support for the suspension.
The opposition party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), strongly criticized the suspension, labeling it as unconstitutional and a violation of the autonomy granted to local governments by the Constitution. They argued that the governor’s directive and the assembly’s actions disregarded the rule of law and democratic principles.
One of the affected local government chairmen, speaking anonymously, mentioned that the Association of Local Government of Nigeria in the state would soon release a statement regarding the issue, indicating that their position would be clarified in due time.