- The heads of the various legislative arms of the LGAs have been directed to oversee the running of the councils for the next two months.
The Edo State House of Assembly has placed an indefinite suspension on all 18 elected local government council chairmen.
This decision was made due to allegations of disobedience and severe misconduct.
The House has instructed the leaders of the legislature in the 18 local governments to take charge of the councils for the next two months.
The suspension was made during a plenary session on Tuesday, following a petition submitted by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Governor Okpebholo accused the local government chairmen of refusing to submit their financial accounts to the state government.
He described their actions as disobedience and severe misconduct, requesting the House to investigate the matter.
The motion to suspend the chairmen and their deputies was proposed by Mr. Isibor Addeh, an APC member representing Esan North-East I, and seconded by Donald Okogbe, PDP, representing Akoko-Edo II.
After the debate, 14 members voted in favor of the suspension, while six opposed and three abstained.
Notably, 18 local government chairmen and 192 councillors were elected on September 2, 2023.
Previously, on December 3, 2024, Governor Okpebholo had given the local government chairmen 48 hours to submit their statements of account to the Assets Verification Committee.
The governor directed the chairmen to submit the statements through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.
He emphasized that the statements should cover the period from September 4, 2023, to the present date.
According to Governor Okpebholo, the statements would enable the Assets Verification Committee to perform its duties effectively and efficiently.
The 24-member Edo House of Assembly is predominantly composed of members from the Peoples Democratic Party.
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