The Chairman of Etsako East Local Government Council of Edo State, Aremiyan Momoh, suspended by Governor Godwin Obaseki, was on Friday reinstated by the State’s High Court in Benin, Edo state.
The Court declared the suspension as illegal.
Obaseki, in September 2019, suspended Momoh over alleged corrupt practices.
The Edo High Court presided over by Justice D. I. Okungbowa, while delivering judgment in the suit, with reference number: B/205/2019, declared that Obaseki’s action was null and void, thereby directing the immediate reinstatement of Momoh.
He insisted that Obaseki’s administration failed to comply with the provisions of Sections 20 and 21 of Edo State Local Government Law, 2000 (as amended), especially for not consulting members of the state’s House of Assembly, as provided by law, prior to the suspension of the reinstated Local Government boss.
The presiding judge maintained that since the suspension was void in law, other actions predicated on it was invalid, thereby awarding N250, 000 as cost, in favour of Momoh.
The Edo High Court also dismissed the notice of preliminary objection filed by the state government, challenging the competence of the suit, while the motion filled by Edo government against the judgment of the court was equally dismissed.
Okungbowa granted all the prayers contained in the originating summons, filed on behalf of Momoh, by the law firm of West-Idahosa & Co.
