By Alltimepost.com
Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in what looked like a drama on Tuesday suspended Mr. Alhassan Mohammed as Chairman, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state for two months immediately after he swore him in as the council boss.
Mr. Mohammed, former Vice Chairman of the Local Government was sworn-in, following the death, last Friday, of the former Chairman of the Local Government, Alhaji Hassan Kadiri.
The governor suspended him immediately due to allegations of financing and instigating a breach of public peace, through organized students protest in an attempt to force the late local government chairman to resign his office while fighting for his dear life in the hospital.
Co-incidentally the man died the same day of the protest which almost turned violent, but for the intervention of men of the Police Force and the Army.
Oshionhole’s words: “”The name of the former Vice Chairman who is now the Chairman has been mentioned by several persons as being responsible for financing and instigating students who are supposed to be on vacation and who are on vacation to come back like a general purpose vehicle to carry out those protests in order to force the resignation or the removal of the Chairman that was bedridden.”
The Governor subsequently named Mr. Busari Yusuf, to act as the interim Chairman of the council pending the findings of a panel of enquiry into the allegations against the new suspended Chairman to be announced soon.
Earlier in his speech at the swearing-in ceremony, the Oshiomhole said: “I have just performed the task of swearing in the Vice Chairman of Etsako West Local Government as the substantive Chairman of the Local Government following the death of the Chairman, Alhaji Hassan Kadiri who passed away last week Friday.
“This afternoon I have performed a task with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I had the privilege of having to swear in a Chairman and on the other hand I am pained by the loss of someone who worked so hard for this party and who believed so much in his community but what made me even more sad is the fact that there were controversies as to what happened the very day that Hassan passed away.
“Some disgruntled elements whether they were masquerading as student union government officials or they were just touts and thugs, were hired by some persons to organize a protest that was almost turning violent such that they had to bring in the police and even the army to intervene to restore peace in the local government.”
Oshiomhole continued, “I am informed that the purpose of this protest was that Hassan on his sick bed should be relieved of his duties as Chairman so that the Vice Chairman could take over his job.
“I do not think human beings should play God.
Today, I am hale and hearty and I thank God for being here to be able to sign what I have to sign, this is not by my strength, it is only by the grace of God.
“What will become of me in the next one hour I cannot say, I can only pray that I remain strong and healthy and I guess my story is the story of every human being.
The Governor said it was absolutely unacceptable that anyone will be so desperate as to instigate another to protest against a man that is bedridden and admitted in the hospital fighting for his life.
“Our jobs are worthless without life and all of us we have our dates to depart this planet earth. So, for anyone to organize protest against someone who is bedridden that he should be forced out of office so that another person will get promotion is unethical, and absolutely unacceptable and to publicly organize protest against the sick making unprintable statements, disturbing the public peace and mobilizing people to do things that are capable of leading to riots with the possibility of even death, that, for me, is the height of irresponsibility and I do not think any civilized government will condone that.”
“Therefore in exercise of the powers vested in me as the Governor of Edo State under the Local Government Amended Acts, where there are weighty allegations against Local Government Officers, I have powers to carry out a thorough investigation on those allegations because we know for a fact that to allege does not necessarily mean to prove. Allegations must be proven before any further actions.”
Oshiomhole denied having all the facts as to whom and who are responsible for these protests but “I know there was a protest that could have easily destabilized the entire local government with serious implications for community relations.”
He appealed to the people of the local government area to maintain calm and ensure peace in the locality, advising “let no one do anything to undermine the peace and stability of Etsako West Local Government.”
He warned that persons doing otherwise would bear the full weight of the law as, according to him, they would not only be arrested, but thoroughly investigated and prosecuted, and that if found guilty and sentenced to jail he would make sure they serve the terms.
“This government will not submit to political sentiments. We must respect people even on their sick bed and anyone who seeks to profit from the misfortune of others does not have my backing.”
He assured that his government would select men and women of integrity as members of the Administrative Panel “and their report, when forwarded to me, will be submitted to the State House of Assembly which has the responsibility to go through it together with my recommendations and they will decide the way to have this matter finally settled.”
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