Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Monday January 27, 2020 reinstated Eghe Ogbemudia, suspended Egor Local Government Council Chairman into office.
A statement obtained by Igbere TV issued by Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, said the suspension was lifted after she was cleared of the accusations that led to her suspension.
“Hon. Ogbemudia was suspended after several petitions were written against her by officials of the council, alleging financial misappropriation and abuse of power.
“The cases brought against her have been reviewed and she has been cleared of the allegations, thus her reinstatement. She is to resume office immediately,” Osagie stated.
But a top government official who spoke to Igbere TV on the development on the condition of anonymity, said the council chairman was reinstated after she pledged loyalty to the Governor.
Mrs. Ogbemudia had been accused of disloyalty to the Governor by belonging to the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), a factional Edo APC-backed pressure group championing the removal of Obaseki.
She was said to have been suspended after she refused to openly castigate the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, allegedly on the orders of Governor Obaseki.
Just last week, Ogbemudia was sighted with Governor Obaseki in Lagos at a town hall meeting said to have been organized by Edo people living in the city of excellence.
“How can they claim she was cleared by an investigative panel? There was no panel to start with, no financial accusation whatsoever. We all know why she was suspended in the first place.
“Obaseki is only playing games. Ogbemudia was reinstated for denouncing Oshiomhole and EPM and pledging loyalty to Governor Obaseki”, the government official said.
“Same Governor who has been going about asking people if Ogbemudia should be reinstated is now claiming to have reinstated her for being cleared of nonexistent charges.”
Igbere TV recalls that a number of local council chairmen have either been suspended or replaced with the Governor’s loyalists since the beginning of the Edo APC crisis.
Edo people will be going to the poll in August this year to elect their new governor who would be sworn in November 12. Governor Obaseki is currently seeking re-election.
