The Edo State House of Assembly has suspended all 18 local government council chairmen in the state over allegations of insubordination and gross misconduct.
The suspension, announced during plenary on Tuesday, followed a petition by Governor Monday Okpebholo, who accused the council chairmen of refusing to submit financial statements of their respective councils to the state government.
The House has directed the leaders of the legislature in the affected councils to take over administration for the next two months.
The motion for the suspension was moved by Isibor Addeh, an All Progressives Congress (APC) member representing Esan North-East I, and seconded by Donald Okogbe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representing Akoko-Edo II.
At the end of the deliberation, 14 members of the Assembly voted in support of the suspension, while six opposed it and three abstained.
The suspended council chairmen, along with 192 councillors, were elected on September 2, 2023.
Governor Okpebholo had previously, on December 3, 2024, issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the council chairmen to submit financial accounts covering the period from September 4, 2023, to date.
He insisted that the reports, which were to be submitted through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, would aid the work of the state’s Assets Verification Committee.
Governor Okpebholo described the refusal of the council chairmen to comply as an act of insubordination and gross misconduct, prompting his petition to the Assembly for necessary action.
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