The 18 suspended local government chairmen in Edo State on Wednesday dared the State House of Assembly, insisting that they can’t be suspended or removed from office.
It was reported that the council chairmen were on Tuesday suspended for two months by the House over alleged misconduct.
The lawmakers took the decision while acting on a petition by Governor Monday Okpebholo against the council chairmen.
The LG chairmen, under the aegis of the Edo State chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, kicked against their suspension at a press briefing in Benin City.
Newman Ugiagbe, the chairman of Orhionmwon LGA, who briefed the press, stressed that their purported suspension by the House of Assembly on Tuesday, December 17, 20204, was a violation of court orders.
Ugiagbe, who is also the Edo State chairman of ALGON, said the tenure of the council chairmen who were sworn in on September 4, 2023, would only come to an end in 2025.
He posited that their purported suspension from office by the State House of Assembly was unconstitutional, ultra vires, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever.
According to him, the Edo State High Court had in suits filed against the state government and the House of Assembly ordered the defendants not to dissolve the democratically elected council executives on or before the expiration of their three-year tenure.
The state ALGON chairman averred that the association on December 17, 2024, served a reminder on the Speaker of the House, to inform him of another suit numbered B/3070s/2024, instituted against the governor, Okpebholo.
He said in the suit, the state High Court 2, granted the chairmen an interim order restraining the defendants from interfering with, obstructing, and disturbing the claimants of exercise of their constitutional rights over all assets and funds allocated to them from the Federation Account.
He added that the courts restrained the defendants from suspending, removing, redeploying, meddling, or in a manner interfering with them in the administration and management of their councils.
