Edo Assembly Suspends 18 Local Council Chairmen, Vice Chairmen for Two Months

The Edo State House of Assembly has suspended the chairmen and vice chairmen of the 18 local government councils in the state for a period of two months. The suspension was approved after a heated debate by 14 out of the 24 lawmakers, cutting across the three political parties in the house.

The suspension is a result of allegations of corrupt practices, insubordination, and gross misconduct leveled against the local government executives. A letter from the office of Governor Godwin Obaseki had earlier raised concerns about the conduct of the council chairmen and their vice, accusing them of refusing to submit financial records of their local governments to the state government.

The lawmakers who voted in favor of the suspension cited the need to investigate the allegations and ensure that the local government executives are held accountable for their actions. The suspension takes effect immediately, and the heads of the legislative arms of the councils have been mandated to oversee the running of the councils for the next two months.

The Edo State House of Assembly is composed of 24 members, with 15 representatives elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The suspension is seen as a significant move by the state government to assert its authority and ensure that the local government councils are run in a transparent and accountable manner.