BENIN CITY: The Edo State House of Assembly has passed a resolution to suspend all 18 local government chairmen and their vice chairmen for a period of two months, following a motion raised by Isibor Adeh, the representative for Esan North East One, and seconded by Donald Okogbe, the representative for Akoko-Edo Two.
The resolution, which has sent shockwaves through the state’s political landscape, also mandates that the leadership of each local government council be temporarily assumed by the legislative heads of the respective councils.
The suspension stems from a formal petition submitted by the state governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, who accused the chairmen of refusing to submit their councils’ financial records to the state government, thereby breaching administrative protocols.
Governor Okpebholo described their actions as an act of insubordination and gross misconduct, emphasizing that it not only undermined the state’s governance processes but also jeopardized financial transparency at the local government level. In his petition, the governor requested that the House investigate the matter and take appropriate action.
The debate on the motion was intense, with 14 members of the House voting in favor of the suspension, six opposing it, and three abstaining. Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, had earlier made it clear that all members were expected to provide their input before any voting would take place.
After the debate, the Clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai, conducted a headcount to tally the votes, confirming the resolution’s passage.
This bold move by the Edo State House of Assembly comes at a time when the state government is grappling with transparency and accountability issues at the local government level. The suspension is expected to prompt a reevaluation of the councils’ financial management practices and could lead to reforms that aim to improve governance within the state.
In the interim, the leadership of the legislative arms of each local government will oversee the day-to-day operations of the councils. The state government has indicated that further investigations into the financial mismanagement allegations will take place during the suspension period, with potential consequences for the affected council leaders depending on the findings.
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The move is seen by many as a necessary step to uphold the principles of good governance in the state. Critics, however, have raised concerns over the timing of the suspension, questioning whether it is politically motivated.
The next few weeks will likely reveal the long-term impact of this unprecedented action, as the state watches closely to see if it results in lasting reform at the local government level.
The suspension of the chairmen and vice chairmen has ignited a wider conversation about financial accountability in Nigeria’s local governments, with many hoping that the Edo State Assembly’s actions will inspire similar measures across other states in the country. As the suspension continues, political observers will be monitoring the situation closely, awaiting further developments.
