JUST IN: Edo LG Chairman Impeached over N1.7bn Budget Padding Allegation

• The legislative branch of Egor local government area in Edo State has removed the council’s chairman, Honourable Eghe Ogbemudia, over allegations of budget padding
• This decision followed a vote of no confidence in the chairman during a council legislative session held on Tuesday, July 16
• Godwin Uwadiae Edigin, the leader of the house and councillor for Ward 3, led the impeachment proceedings

Egor LGA, Edo state—The legislative branch of Egor Local Government Area in Edo state has impeached the council’s chairman, Hon. Eghe Ogbemudia, over allegations of budget padding and other corrupt activities.

This decision followed a vote of no confidence in the chairman during a council legislative session on Tuesday, July 16.

Godwin Uwadiae Edigin, the leader of the house and councillor for Ward 3, led the impeachment proceedings.

Read also

Yahaya Bello vs EFCC: Former Kogi governor asks court to adjourn case indefinitely, gives reason

Shortly after the legislative house conducted a roll call, Rt, Hon. Stella Ogida, the Councillor for Ward 2, introduced a motion for a vote of no confidence against the chairman, citing allegations of gross misconduct, Channels Television reported.

Ogida stated:

"This marks the 10th month since our inauguration, and we, the Councillors of Egor Legislative Arm, still lack offices. We have discovered the padding of the council's supplementary budget amounting to ₦1.7 billion.

"The Chairman excluded the councillors from the preparation and approval of this budget. In light of these actions and numerous other instances of gross misconduct, I propose a vote of no confidence in the chairman."

As reported by PM News, Hon. Ambassador Elliot Inneh, the Councillor for Ward 9, seconded the motion and accused the chairman of padding the previous budget, N6.054 billion, to N7.896 billion.

Read also

BREAKING: Prominent Labour Party House of Reps member reported dead, details emerge

"Our attempts to communicate with the Honourable Chairman have been unsuccessful. Today, we have a budget proposal of ₦6.054 billion that passed through these chambers.

"To our shock, we discovered that the Chairman, in collusion with the former Leader of the House, secretly increased the budget to ₦7.896 billion."

Court reinstates Shaibu as Edo deputy governor

In another development, Legit.ng reported that the federal high court in Abuja had nullified Philip Shaibu’s impeachment as Edo state deputy governor.

The court ruled that Shaibu’s impeachment violated the law and was unconstitutional, null, and void.

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng