Concerned Civil Society Organizations in Edo State have given the State House of Assembly and Governor Monday Okpebholo 72 hours to undo the suspension of the eighteen Local Government Chairmen and let them do their jobs or face the peoples’ action to save democracy in the heartbeat of the nation.
At a world press conference addressed during the weekend by leaders of the coalition, including Comrade Ogbidi Emmanuel President, NOCSON and Comrade Kola Edokpaye, Leader of the Talakawa Parliament, the civil society organizations demanded:
That the state governor Sen. Monday Okpebholo and the EDHA yield to the superior and objective voice of reasoning as follows:
1. Desist from interfering in LG administration in the state
2. Partner with the various LGs irrespective of their political differences to deliver the dividend of democracy to both the urban and rural dwellers in the state
3. The house of assembly must immediately revisit their earlier decision of suspending the LG chairmen, but allow them to continue their work in serving the local government as elected officials
4. That these actions will be most effective and appreciated by Edo people within the next 72 hours. As failure to do the needful will leave the entire Edo people with no choice than to rise and save our democracy by every legitimate means possible.
5. We therefore call on Mr President, Pres. Bola Tinubu to call Edo state governor to order immediately, as this path he is toeing negates the renewed hope agenda of his administration following their rule in the last supreme Court judgement which liberated 774 LGs from the very iron grip of the states.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere a wise man once said. We must, therefore, stand to defend our democracy at all levels irrespective of those involved.”
The group noted the need to save democracy and uphold the rule of law by every sincere and patriotic Nigerian and edolite is now or never, irrespective of political affiliations, ethnic inclination cum religious belief.
“We must stand to defend the very tier of government which is of most importance to the people at the grass root in delivering the dividends of democracy to their doorstep via effective LG administration which must be duly constituted and democratically elected.”
The group cited the recent supreme court judgment delivered on the July 11, 2024, which gave autonomy to the 774 Local Governments in Nigeria including the 18 LG in Edo state, which makes it a law in the land that supersedes every other law at variance including local government administrative laws.
The action of the governor and EDHA, the group noted, is illegal, unpopular and negates the principles of the rule of law and Democratic tenets.
“The action of the governor and Honourable members amount to executive rascality and legislative ‘boyboyism’ or if u like rubber stamping. No doubt the governor has been ill-advised and must retrace his step as a matter of urgency for the sake of peace in the land and posterity.”
Chiding the governor, the group said he must be reminded that the LG bosses are not accountable to him, but the people in the LGAs.
“They are not subordinates to him but are term base elected officials in the third tier of government just as the governor is at the state level. Therefore, only the local government legislative arm can call the chairman to account and suspend same following due process
“The house of assembly must be reminded of their core responsibilities in the doctrine of separation of powers, as they owe the people. Part of their oversights is to curtail the excesses of the executive arm of government and guide same in a bid to strengthen our democratic system.”
According to the group, the legislative arm begins to lose its potency and trust of the people when everything passes through them without putting the interest of the people first because they are tied to the apron strings of the governor.
It said the governor must understand the implications of his decisions, adding: “In another recent supreme Court judgement which forbids any state without a properly constituted local government administration from accessing allocation from FAAC, it therefore implies that for the next two months in Edo, local government workers would not receive their salaries, LG pensioners would not be paid and contractors as well. This will amount to economic stagnation and starvation of the people.”
It would be recalled that Edo State House of Assembly, on Tuesday December 17, 2024 passed a resolution, suspending chairmen and vice chairmen of the 18 local government councils of the state for two months.
The suspension followed a petition by Governor Monday Okpebholo over alleged refusal of the council Chiefs to submit financial records, an action he described as an act of insubordination and gross misconduct.
The house also mandated leaders of the legislative arms to take over leadership of their respective councils.
When the matter came up for debate, 14 members supported the motion for their suspension, 6 of them were opposed to the motion while 3 members refused either support or oppose the motion.
fierce reactions and condemnations have trailed the lawmakers’ action since day one, followed by legal challenges.
Besides condemnation by the State opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which told the affected council bosses to ignore the suspension and go back to work, Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), declared it illegal and unconstitutional.
The AGF, who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, stressed that removing from office or suspending any elected LG official in the country is the prerogative of Councilors in the said LGA.
He said his position was based on the July 11 judgment of the Supreme Court that granted autonomy to the 774 LGAs in the country.
“One thing that I know and can say without fear is that under the present dispensation, no Governor has the right to remove any local government chairman.
“That much I know. If I did not know before, since July 11, 2024, I became aware that removal of any local government chairman or official would be the prerogative of that local government, through their legislative house,” the AGF stated.
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