The Edo State House of Assembly has approached the state high court, urging it to uphold the suspension of the chairmen of the state’s 18 local government areas (LGAs). The Assembly, through a suit filed on January 28, 2025, seeks a legal declaration affirming its power to suspend LG chairmen and vice-chairmen under the Local Government Law, 2000, of Edo State.
The suit, identified as B/34/2025, follows the December 17, 2024, suspension of all LG chairmen and their deputies for alleged insubordination to Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The governor had requested that the chairmen provide statements of accounts for their councils, a directive which was reportedly ignored.
The suspension followed a formal petition from Governor Okpebholo to the House, citing the chairmen’s failure to comply.
The suspended chairmen, along with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have contested the legality of the suspension, arguing that Governor Okpebholo lacks the authority to demand the council’s financial statements due to the recent Supreme Court ruling affirming the autonomy of local governments.
In the legal action, the Edo State House of Assembly, through its lawyer C.O. Edosa of C.O. Edosa and Co., is seeking the court’s determination on several key issues.
Among them is whether the decision to suspend the chairmen and their deputies contravened Section 20(b) of the Local Government Law by violating the democratic structure of the local government councils.
The House also wants the court to clarify whether the legislative arms of the councils were properly constituted by democratically elected officials, as stipulated in Sections 11(3) and 14 of the law.
Additionally, the Assembly is requesting the court to affirm that, in the absence of a chairman and vice-chairman, the legislative arms of the councils still hold the authority to manage the affairs and finances of the councils.
The House is seeking declarations confirming that its actions did not dismantle the democratic structure of the local governments and that local government administration remains intact.
It also requests the court to affirm its legal right to suspend the LG chairmen and vice-chairmen under Section 20(b) of the Local Government Law, 2000.
The defendants in the case have been instructed to respond within 42 days of receiving the legal summons, either personally or through legal representation.
Failure to do so will allow the court to proceed with the case and make any necessary rulings.
