The Edo State House of Assembly has suspended all the 18 elected local government council chairmen in the state for alleged insubordination and gross misconduct.
The House instructed the legislative leaders of the 18 local governments to supervise the council operations for the ensuing two months.
At Tuesday’s session, the House suspended the council executives in response to a petition filed by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The governor claimed in the petition that the LG chairmen had refused to provide the state government with the financial accounts of each local government.
The governor asked the House to investigate, calling the LG chairmen’s actions “gross misconduct” and “insubordination.”
Mr. Isibor Addeh, an APC member representing Esan North-East I, made the motion to suspend the council’s chairman and their deputies.
Donald Okogbe of the PDP, speaking on behalf of Akoko-Edo II, seconded it.
Three members abstained, six members voted against the suspension, and fourteen members supported it at the conclusion of the debate.
On September 2, 2023, 192 council members and 18 heads of local governments were chosen.
On December 3, 2024, Okpebholo gave the LG chairman 48 hours to provide the Assets Verification Committee with the statements of accounts for their respective councils.
Through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, or SSG, Okpebholo instructed the council chairmen to forward the statements to the Assets Verification Committee.
According to him, the statement of accounts ought to cover the period from September 4, 2023, to the present. He claimed that the declarations will facilitate the Assets Verification Committee’s ability to carry out its duties in an effective and efficient manner.
Members of the Peoples Democratic Party, or PDP, predominate in the 24-member Edo House of Assembly.
