18 LG chairmen bag 2 months suspension over Gov Okpebholo’s petition

Eighteen local government chairmen and their vice chairmen have been suspended by the Edo State House of Assembly.

The suspension of the chairmen was announced on the floor of the House on Tuesday, December 17.

The House also ordered that the leader of the legislative arms in the affected councils take over the mantle of leadership for the next two months.

The suspension of the LG chairmen is the sequel to the adoption of a motion raise by the lawmaker representing Esan Northeast 1 Constituency, Isibor Adeh.

Adeh’s motion seconded by Donald Okogbe of Akoko-Edo 2 Constituency was supported by 14 other lawmakers and opposed six.

Three lawmakers of the Edo Assembly abstained from voting on the motion hinged on a petition by the state governor, Monday Okpebholo who aacused the chairmen of gross misconduct and insubordination.

The governor in the petition alleged that the chairmen refused to submit their financial records for scrutiny.

Okpebholo in the petition urged the House to address the issue.

Moving the motion, Adeh relied on Section 20(b) of the Local Government Act, which empowers the House of Assembly to suspend any local government chairman for two months pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct.

Declaring that the House would not tolerate any form of insubordination and gross misconduct, the speaker directed the clerk, Yahaya Omogbai to do a head count of members for onward voting.