The 18 local government chairmen in Edo State have rejected their suspension by the State House of Assembly, describing the decision as unconstitutional and a violation of court orders.
The chairmen, under the aegis of the Edo State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), made their position known during a press briefing in Benin City on Tuesday.
Their spokesperson, Newman Ugiagbe, who is the chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Area and also serves as the state chairman of ALGON, asserted that their suspension on December 17, 2024, was invalid.
According to Ugiagbe, the suspension was orchestrated by the House of Assembly in response to a petition by Governor Monday Okpebholo, who accused the chairmen of insubordination and gross misconduct.
Ugiagbe pointed out that the Edo State High Court had earlier restrained the state government and the Assembly from interfering with the tenure of elected local government executives.
He stated, “The purported suspension by the House of Assembly is unconstitutional, null, and void. It is a clear violation of court orders that prohibit the dissolution or interference with the administration of local governments before the expiration of their three-year tenure.”
He added that the tenure of the council chairmen, who were sworn into office on September 4, 2023, would not end until 2025.
Ugiagbe disclosed that on December 17, 2024, ALGON reminded the Speaker of the House about a suit filed against the governor and the Assembly, in which the court issued an interim order restraining the defendants from suspending or interfering with the chairmen’s duties.
He also cited a Supreme Court judgment that barred governors and state assemblies across Nigeria from dissolving or interfering in local government administration, describing such actions as unconstitutional.
“From the foregoing, the suspension of the 18 local government chairmen and their deputies is ultra vires and amounts to contempt of court,” Ugiagbe stated.
The ALGON chairman called on security agencies to protect local government assets and ensure an enabling environment for the chairmen to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.
He requested the deployment of security personnel to all 18 local government secretariats to prevent further interference.
The Edo State House of Assembly had suspended the local government chairmen and their deputies following a petition by Governor Okpebholo, who alleged that the council executives refused to submit their financial account statements to the State Asset Verification Committee.
Despite the suspension, the chairmen have vowed to remain in office and continue their duties, maintaining that their suspension lacks legal backing and undermines the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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