The Edo State House of Assembly has suspended all 18 elected local government chairmen in the state, citing insubordination and gross misconduct.
During Tuesday’s plenary session, the House directed the leaders of the local government legislatures to take over the councils’ administration for two months. This decision followed a petition from Governor Monday Okpebholo, who accused the chairmen of refusing to submit financial accounts of their councils to the state government.
Governor Okpebholo had earlier given the chairmen a 48-hour deadline on December 3, 2024, to submit their statements of accounts, covering the period from September 4, 2023, to date. The governor argued that the accounts were crucial for the Assets Verification Committee’s work.
The motion to suspend the council executives was introduced by Isibor Addeh, an APC lawmaker representing Esan North-East I, and seconded by Donald Okogbe, a PDP member representing Akoko-Edo II. After a heated debate, 14 members voted in favor, six opposed, and three abstained.
The affected chairmen and their deputies were elected alongside 192 councillors on September 2, 2023. The 24-member Assembly, dominated by PDP lawmakers, emphasized the need for accountability in the local councils’ administration.
This suspension highlights the growing tensions between the state government and local council executives over governance and transparency.
