The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and address the actions of Governor Monday Okpebholo, accusing him of undermining constitutional democracy in the state.
At a press briefing in Benin on Tuesday, Anthony Aziegbemi, Chairman of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, urged the President to take immediate action to prevent further erosion of the rule of law.
He also appealed to the Attorney General of the Federation, the judiciary, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, and relevant security agencies to intervene and restore order in the state.
Aziegbemi expressed grave concern over the alleged harassment of the 18 PDP council chairmen, accusing Okpebholo of lawlessness and blatant disregard for the rule of law.
He warned that if left unchecked, this disregard for legal authority could lead to chaos and the collapse of law and order in Edo State.
The PDP chairman also pointed out that despite a clear ruling by the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, which stated that the state government and the Edo State House of Assembly had no legal authority to suspend or dissolve elected local government councils, the state government had continued to prevent the chairmen from carrying out their duties.
Aziegbemi criticized the state government for ignoring both the court’s judgment and the advisory issued by the Attorney General of the Federation, which emphasized that local government chairmen and their deputies could not be removed or suspended without following the proper legal processes.
He further condemned the actions of Governor Okpebholo, alleging that he had ignored the legal advice and instead deployed thugs to intimidate the council chairmen.
These thugs, Aziegbemi said, have been traveling from one council to another, using force and weapons to illegally enforce the suspension of the chairmen, in direct defiance of court orders and the established legal position.
