Impeachment, suspension…Okpebholo’s weapons of whipping Edo council chairmen into line

The current impeachment saga troubling the Edo State local government system appears to be Governor Monday Okpebholo’s strategy of whipping loyalists of former Governor Godwin Obaseki in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into line and demonstrating that a new sheriff is in town.  Based on the recent defections by some PDP council chairmen and councillors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), watchers of Edo politics claim that the rumble in the local council system could be targeted at a possible re-run of the governorship election. MICHAEL EGBEJULE reports.

Is there a grand plot by the governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to undermine the local government autonomy being championed by President Bola Tinubu? That question has continued to reverberate across Edo State, where Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has descended on some elected Local council chairmen and councillors.   Two developments lend credence to speculations that the APC leaders are at the forefront of the development.

On January 2, Vice President, Kashim Shettima, led some APC leaders, including those from the National Assembly and state governors to pay New Year homage to President Tinubu in Lagos State. In his remarks at the occasion, the President allayed the governors’ fears that local government autonomy was targeted at reducing their sphere of influence and political clout.

In a statement, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that while urging a stronger collaboration between the federal and state governments, President Tinubu stressed that his commitment to local government autonomy was aimed at guaranteeing grassroots development.

“We will not fight within us. I will drive the change. You control your local governments. You can restore hope by effectively fulfilling what the people expect at the grassroots level. There were gossips that we had disagreements on local government autonomy. No. Just drive development at the local government. Nobody wants to take them away from you,” Tinubu was quoted to have declared.

But, before the governors’ visit to President Tinubu in Lagos, Okpebholo, had travelled to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where he held a private meeting with the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who is seen as one of his external political godfathers.

Although Okpebholo said he was in Uyo to personally appreciate Akpabio for his role in making him governor, sources disclosed that the governor had actually gone to get Akpabio’s guidance on how to handle PDP-dominated Edo State local government system.

Shortly after that visit to Akpabio by Okpebholo, apprehensions heightened in Edo State that the governor was set to take full control of political structures in the state right from the grassroots level.

Politicians and residents in Edo expressed the fear that the governor’s actions may be without consideration for the political mandate given to the elected councillors and chairmen.

They claim that in his desperation to intimidate PDP stalwarts in the state, the governor has moved against everyone perceived to be loyal to the opposition party gubernatorial candidate in last year’s election, Asue Ighodalo.

Okpebholo, whose political ascendancy was made possible by Adams Oshiomhole, a former governor and Senator representing Edo North constituency in the National Assembly (NASS), has declared war on the PDP after his swearing in by harvesting influential members of the party, especially elected council officials.

Insiders said that the governor believes that he can only succeed by pulling down the grassroots structure mounted by the PDP through hook or crook, so as to successfully demystify former Governor Godwin Obaseki and his political godson, Ighodalo.

Ighodalo, who is challenging the outcome of the September 21, 2024 gubernatorial poll, has remained Okpebholo’s greatest nightmare even after the election.

Many also believe that Okpebholo’s move is to further thwart the efforts by PDP to upturn his mandate or corner the 18 local government chairmen across the state to his side in the event of a possible rerun poll. Ever since the tribunal began sitting on PDP and Ighodalo’s petitions, the council chairmen and councillors have been vocal in their support for the petitioners.

It was therefore in the attempt to score some political points that Okpebholo ordered the 18 local government council chairmen in the state to submit their records/statements of account within 48 hours. Within hours after the directive was made, allegations of financial recklessness started making the rounds in the state, just as the Edo House of Assembly was advised to look into the matter.

The development didn’t go down well with the local government chairmen, who described the move as rash and intended to rob the councils of the autonomy pronounced by the Supreme Court.

Recall that prior to the order by the governor through the SSG, the Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Edo State Chapter, and Chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Council, Newman Ugiagbe, had led the 18 local government chairmen on a courtesy visit to Okpebholo, where they pledged their loyalty to him and promised to collaborate with him to ensure that the administration succeeds.

However, trouble started for the council chairmen when the governor fumed that they disregarded his order, alleging misconduct and insubordination on the part of the chairmen, before the House of Assembly suspended the chairmen for two months.

In its determination to impress the governor, the House of Assembly hurriedly moved against the council chairmen and councillors by immediately ordering their suspension based on the governor’s instruction contained in a petition the Assembly received.

Faulting the governor over the suspension resulting in the impeachment saga rocking the state council chairmen, a Benin based legal practitioner, Eugene Eke, said the current tactics employed in the impeachment onslaught against the duly constituted local government chairmen and their deputies in Edo State by the governor is all in a bid to gain access to the funds accruable to the various local councils in the state from the Federation Account.

The lawyer noted that in the face of the law, such will not stand when eventually subjected to judicial cross examination.

In the melee that ensued, some councillors and their chairmen were entangled in a war of words, while others were denied access to their offices, even as some were brutally injured by thugs that forcefully prevented them access to their workplace.

Despite the fact that the local council chairmen’s two months’ suspension was still in force, political thugs suspected to be activated by the government, had besieged some councils fomenting trouble in an attempt to take over. Before long, it became obvious that their mission was to collaborate with heads of the various legislative arms of the councils to replace the embattled council chairmen and their vice chairmen.

The unfortunate development stirred a dilemma for the PDP local council chairmen, who were confronted with the odd choices of either facing the governor’s wrath or defecting to the ruling APC to keep their jobs and their peace of mind.

Speaking while announcing their defection, Ahonsi cited Okpebholo’s achievements as the driving force behind his decision to switch allegiance.

He stated: “I am joining the APC today because of what the governor is doing. Firstly, he has made important appointments, unlike the previous government.”

Praising Governor Okpebholo’s developmental initiatives as evidence of good leadership, the former PDP council chairman noted that “the projects he has embarked upon show clearly that Edo is in safe hands. That is why I am here to join the party.” Ahonsi pledged to persuade more of his colleagues to follow suit.

In Ovia South West, Enowoghomenma defected with eight councillors, including House Leader, Nosakhare Edobor.

Perturbed by the impeachment saga rocking the Edo State local government system, the Chairman of Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, Anthony Aziegbemi, swiftly called on the Attorney General of the Federation, the judiciary, the National Security Adviser, Inspector General of Police and all relevant security authorities to urgently intervene and restore order and the rule of law in the state.

The Edo PDP also invited President Tinubu to call Okpebholo to order over attempts at exterminating constitutional democracy in the state following the latter’s alleged disregard for the rule of law.

Aziegbemi, who expressed worry over the development, said:  “We are deeply worried that if urgent and decisive action is not taken to address this lawlessness and restore order within the system, we may witness an escalation that could result in crisis, anarchy, and chaos and which presents a clear and imminent danger of a breakdown of law and order in Edo State.

“As you are aware, recent events have brought to light the unlawful suspension of the duly elected chairmen and vice chairmen of the 18 local government councils in Edo State purportedly by the State House of Assembly, following the directive of the Governor Monday Okpebholo.

“The illegal suspension, carried out on December 17, 2024, was executed under the false pretense of ‘gross misconduct and insubordination’, without fair hearing and under the misplaced and mistaken belief that the chairmen and their vice chairmen are subordinate to the governor, who premised his directive on Section 10(1) of the Local Government Law of Edo State which has since been voided by the judgment of the Chief Judge of Edo State.

“It should be noted that no complaint was made against the vice chairmen and the House of Assembly still proceeded to suspend them and this they claimed to do under Section 20 of the same law, which did not give the Assembly any power to suspend any local government official.”

Aziegbemi expressed dismay that despite the clear and binding judgment from the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, who upheld that the Edo State government and the Edo State House of Assembly have no legal right to suspend or dissolve elected local government councils, the state government and their agents proceeded to enforce their individual interests in purportedly suspending the council chairmen.

“This they did without regard to the constitutional, legal, social, security, political and economic implications and consequences.

“The State Government also disregarded the advice of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu given through the Attorney General of the Federation on this matter. The Attorney General of the Federation was emphatic and insisted that elected local government council chairmen and their vice cannot be dissolved, removed or suspended without following the due process of law through the councillors.

“However, the illegal suspension of the local government chairmen was moved despite the prevailing legal position on this issue and in utter breach of express court orders,” Azeigbemi added.

On his part, Edo APC chairman, Jarret Tenebe, backed the governor’s action, noting that Okpebholo is the chief executive of the state.

He insisted that the suspension of the 18 local government chairmen and vice chairmen by the House of Assembly was done to maintain order and stability in the state.

Tenebe vehemently faulted the Edo State PDP Caretaker Committee’s allegations of “extermination of constitutional democracy” and “lawlessness” by the Edo State government, describing them as unfounded and libelous.

Tenebe said Okpebholo has a responsibility to ensure that all the tiers of government operate within the ambit of the law in the state.

“It is crucial to recognise that the government has a duty to protect the interests of the citizens and maintain public order.

“The Edo State laws, as documented by the Ministry of Justice, provide a framework for the governance of the state. While the factional narcissistic PDP Caretaker Committee claims that the governor’s actions are in breach of court injunctions and the constitution, it is essential to consider the complexities of the situation.

“Rather than accusing the governor of ‘lawlessness’ and ‘extermination of constitutional democracy’, the factional PDP Caretaker Committee should engage in constructive dialogue and seek solutions that promote the well-being of all Edo State citizens,” Tenebe said.

According to him, the people of Edo State were aware of the PDP’s tactics and would not be swayed by their allegations.

Tenebe said that the PDP’s approach is seen as a desperate attempt to discredit Okpebholo and the state government rather than a genuine concern for the welfare of the people.

“We are fully in support of the actions taken by the House of Assembly. We urge the various anti-graft agencies to recover our stolen commonwealth in Edo.

“We also support steps taken by councillors across the various local government councils in the state who have decided to save their people by impeaching the corrupt and inept suspended chairmen, “Tenebe added.