Assembly suspends all local council chairpersons in Edo
The suspension followed a petition from Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The Edo House of Assembly has passed a resolution suspending the chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the 18 local governments in the state for two months for alleged insubordination and gross misconduct.
At plenary on Tuesday, the House also mandated that the leaders of the legislative arms in the local governments take over leadership of the respective councils.
The suspension followed a petition by Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State to the House regarding the chairpersons’ refusal to submit their financial records as directed.
On 3 December, Mr Okpebholo gave the council chairpersons 48 hours to submit their statements of account from September 2023 to date to the Edo State Assets Verification Committee.
In the letter to the assembly, the governor described the council leaders’ actions as insubordination and gross misconduct. He requested the House to look into the matter.
The suspension of the chairpersons and the vice chairpersons followed a motion moved by Isibor Adeh (APC Esan North East1) and seconded by Donald Okogbe (PDP Akoko-Edo11)
After the debate, the Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, called for voting on the matter
Fourteen members supported the motion for their suspension, six opposed it, and three declined to participate in the voting.
(NAN)