Osaigbovo Iguobaro
Edmund Burke’s metaphor of the Fourth Estate says, ‘if journalists sit atop their watchtower as society’s sentinels, they must keep their eyes unclouded by haste, bias, or error’.
This assertion blithes about the hegemony over who controls the leavers of power across the 18 Local Government Councils in Edo State.
The leadership crisis started in December 2024, with inquiries into the third tier government funds arising from perceived institutional failures — a fierce battle with addiction and underground intrigues that run according to the tide of history.
Governor Monday Okpebholo’s fixation on this issue, followed a compelling evidence of deficiencies in the third tier of government, seen as a vital component in delivering of the public good.
The State government is shaking things up with a bold prediction that marks a turning point that helps pundits understand the reality of the moment.
More profoundly, the governor’s letter to the State House of Assembly, sought the removal vide suspension of elected chairmen and their Deputies in line with Section 10, sub-section (1), Edo State Local Government Law 2000 as amended, in 2022, forcing wild dogs sun-bathing with a new mindset.
Surprisingly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led State House of Assembly, set aside the Section of the law during consideration of the governor’s letter and fired the political shot that altered everyday routines in Edo Local Government Administration towards clearing up the so-called dismal legacy bequeathed by the past administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The House of Assembly, however, sought relief in Section 10 (20) of the same law, which talks about power of the Legislative Arm to suspend Local Government chairmen and subsequently pronounced the 18 Local Government chairmen along with their Deputies suspended for a period of two months on December 17th 2024 for alleged
gross misconduct and insubordination.
After the voices of the Legislators opposed to the suspension were slammed under the gavel, the governor had his way. When the petition was debated during plenary, various interest groups, began to sense danger, a memory that will certainly become difficult to erase in Edo State’s democratic voyage.
Interestingly, the 2000 Edo State Local Government Law (2022 as amended), was passed by the same House of Assembly-led by the current Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku when Obaseki held sway as Governor of the State.
Prior to the Assembly’s resolution, Governor Okpebholo through the State Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, had summoned the Council chairmen to a meeting in Government House, Benin City and mandated them to provide their financial statements and Councils’ receipts to the government.
This intrepid adventure summarised the tenures of some Local government Council chairmen and their Deputies through impeachment by their respective legislative Assemblies in the cockpit of conflict.
The development raises questions among stakeholders asking if the governor’s intent is to consolidate his powers and dismantle alliances by leaders in the various Local Government Councils with the main opposition party in the State, the PDP.
Again, there are concerns that the power play and deployment of instrument of subtle coercion by political actors, is not just aiming to delay the onset of truth, but a threat to the rule of law with absolute sense of responsibility.
Is the Local Government Law the House of Assembly relied upon in conflict with Nigeria 1999 Constitution as amended)?
What could be the reason why governor asked the various managers of the Local Government Councils to open their books for scrutiny, and does the governor have the Constitutional powers to meddle into local government affairs the way we have seen it play out in Edo?
These are some the questions that are begging for answers. These unfolding sceneries have thrown up its own challenges occasioned by inability by some Council workers to receive the State government approved 13th month salary in December 2024 from their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) before the cookies crumbled.
Some would argue that as the familial strife – driven by blurred political lines between the hunter and the hunted continues, governance at the grassroots level is slowing daily.
Political thugs linked with governmental authorities forcefully shove aside the suspended chairmen who attempted to return to their seats after they got judicial reprieve, while their supporters and party faithful continue to plant narratives into the mouths of griots on the social media space.
Yet, the State Governor believes that tough measures need to be taken to correct some anomalies, while asking for understanding of those who are either directly or indirectly affected by his eagerness to find validation for his handline posture.
He chooses to ignore distractions, but also take account of the fair critique directed his way.
Also, Civil Society Organizations in the State, also attempted to act as Ombudsman, a voluntary watchdog role it designed to chart a path of peace, while urging the Governor to restore the suspended Local Government chairmen to their offices.
They called on the Governor to respect the wish of President Bola Tinubu, who recently advised Nigeria Governors to collaborate with the 774 Local Government Administration in order to drive development at the grassroots level.
Most Council chairmen, accused of embezzlement of public funds, head off the Governor’s directive, while others considered the move as a wild goose chase by ‘the selected Governor’ in their own illusion’.
Besides, a solidarity visit by some suspended Council chairmen to Asue Ighodalo, Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party on September 21st 2024 Edo State governorship poll is believed to be at the root of the crisis, probably interpreted as having been designed to cause political upset.
The meeting, which the APC tagged cynical, provided the springboard for the officials to challenge the constitutionality, weigh legal options.
Governor Okpebholo would agree no less that the fog of pretence has shut their eyes to the naked truth that financial autonomy for the third tier of government, neither guarantees nor imply the penchant for financial recklessness by transactional leaders on a chess board.
Sadly, most of the embattled chairmen have been impeached by their respective Councillors and acting chairmen appointed to take their places.
A few of them who have found voices to speak have argued that neither the State Assembly nor the Governor has the power to sack legitimately elected Local Government executives at the Councils.
But, the aggrieved Chairman, Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, Tony Aziegbemi and other stakeholders are expressing their solidarity for those impeached as a way of reshaping the new order.
He believes that no one will be silenced by fear in the pursuit of justice by pushing back the other telling indictment against the removal of elected chairmen, particularly in Oredo Local Government Council where Dr Tom Obaseki whose impeachment was a hard nut to crack, following the initial uncompromising posture of most of the Councillors in the LGA.
Speaking on Arise Television, Aziegbemi kicked against deliberate attempts by the All Progressives Congress- led government to draw victory from the jaws of the Council officials in the never-ending surge of misadventure.
Though the PDP chairman, was however. silent on the invitation of some of the suspended Council officials by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in connection with Local Government Councils finances.
Hen said “What is happening in Edo State is what you see in Nollywood movies”.
According to Aziegbemi, It has to be made clear in the first instance that the Governor’s letter to the House of Assembly is illegal.
“That letter shouldn’t have been written at the instance of the Governor”, he said.
“What was he doing? He asked rhetorically.
“As at the time he wrote that letter, the Chief Judge of the State, had given a ruling that Section 10, sub-section (1) of the 2000 Edo State Local Government Law (2022 as amended), has been annulled and repealed by the judgement of the Supreme Court, that granted financial autonomy to the Local Government Councils”.
The PDP Chairman also accused the leadership of the Assembly of being naive in succumbing to the whims and caprices of the executive arm.
He also shares the belief that Governor Okpebholo is behind the antithetical activities against democracy in Edo Local Government Administration.
He wondered why the Governor chose to ignore a subsisting Edo High court judgement delivered by Justice Efe Ikpomwonba, who set aside the State House of Assembly’s resolution, suspending the Council chairmen.
But, Barrister Andrew Adaze Emwanta, the State former Commissioner for Communication and Orientation under the administration of Goodwin Obaseki, punctured the claims by the PDP chairman.
Speaking on a Satellite television interview, Emwanta who is now an ally of Governor Okpebholo, admitted that, “we operate a Constitutional democracy in Nigeria”. And the action of the Governor were guided as it were.
“The action of the Governor was guided by the second part of the 1999 Constitution as amended. Of course, the first part says that the tenure of the democratically elected Local Government Councils under this Constitution is guaranteed.
“And the second part says that the Government of the State through the House of Assembly shall ensure existence of Local Government and shall make a law that provides for its establishment, structure, finance and composition.
“It was pursuant to that provisions of the 1999 Constitution that in the year 2000, the Edo State House of Assembly enacted the Edo State Local Government Law”, he said.
He also cited section 20 sub-section (e), of Edo State Local Government Law which allows “a Governor in consultation with the House of Assembly to suspend an erring Local Government chairman for two months”.
“That is for a period not exceeding two months. And it the place of the suspension of the chairman or a chairman and his Vice (Deputy), the elected Local Government House Leader becomes the acting chairman in that period of the Local Government Council during, which the Governor is mandated by sub-section (c) of that law to set up and enquiry.
“And the Governor of Edo State followed these procedures as stipulated by the law”, according to the Constitutional lawyer who prides himself as one of the incubators of talent in Governor Okpebholo’s administration whose overriding priorities are growth and increased productivity.
In the cross fire, a Federal High Court has placed an injunction on Local Councils’ accounts and ordered that parties in the dispute maintain status quo, pending the substantive suit by the aggrieved suspended Local Government Council chairmen.
The lien placed on the Councils’ accounts by the court order has had some far reaching implications for Local Government workers and pensioners, including institutions that draw their funds from the Local Government allocations resulting in their not being paid their December 2023 salaries and other benefits derivable from the Local government funds.
Notably, some school of thoughts have argued that the alleged underhand dealings by the Governor against democratically elected government at the grassroots level is a payback over the unlawful exclusion of 14 State House of Assembly members that were denied inauguration during the tenure of Obaseki in the 8th Assembly, where 10 elected on the platform of PDP lawmakers were inaugurated at night. Could this be a revenge mission driven by fury?
Leave a Reply