FG Kicks as 18 LG Chairmen Get Suspension, Details Emerge
- The federal government of Nigeria has condemned the two months suspension of the 18 local government chairmen and their deputies by the Edo state House of Assembly
- Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, said the state's legislative arms did not have the constitutional power to suspend elected council chairmen
- According to Fagbemi, only the legislative arms of the local government have the power to suspend or sack the council chairs
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The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has rejected the suspension of local government chairmen and vice chairmen in Edo State by the state's House of Assembly.
Fagbemi argued that it is unlawful for a state's House of Assembly to suspend duly elected local government leaders, emphasizing that only the Legislature at the Local Government level has the power to do so.
Source: Twitter
The Edo House of Assembly had passed a resolution suspending the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the state's 18 Local Government Areas for two months. This decision was made in response to a complaint by Governor Sunday Okpebholo, who accused the council leaders of insubordination for allegedly failing to comply with his directive to submit their councils' financial records to him.
What AGF's comment means in Edo politics
However, The Nation reported that Fagbemi's statement suggests that the governor's actions may have been unconstitutional. The suspended chairmen have also vowed to remain in office until their tenure expires in September 2026.
Newman Ugiagbe, the chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Council, argued that the chairmen were duly elected and are constitutionally bound to vacate office in September 2026. He also pointed out that the state Chief Judge had previously informed the assembly that they lacked the power to unilaterally tamper with the affairs of elected local government councils.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also denounced the suspension, recalling that the Supreme Court had granted financial autonomy to local government councils. The party argued that the assembly's actions were unconstitutional and void and called on the federal government to seize allocations meant for the 18 local government councils.
Edo crisis: Lawyer laments suspension of council chairs
Speaking on the matter, a legal practitioner, Okanlawon Gaffar, in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng lamented the poor separation of power in Nigeria's democracy. He said:
"We have a problem with clear-cut separation of power in Nigeria which is evident in the latest development in Edo state. It still balls down to the 1999 constitution that was handed over to us by the military.
"Even though we have had the local government reform, it has still not been fully utilised, which is clear with the interference. My submission will be that until we overall the 1999 constitution and provide clear-cut descriptions of the roles of the three tiers of government. We will continue to have this kind of problem."
Edo assembly suspends 18 council chairs
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Edo state House of Assembly has suspended the state's 18 local government chairmen and vice chairmen.
This development followed the allegation of misappropriation of funds against the suspended council chairmen and vice chairmen.
The assembly has directed that the heads of the legislative arms in the councils should take over the affairs of the local governments.
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Source: Legit.ng
