PDP urges FG to halt state allocations to Edo

• Laments nonexistence of LG administration

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, yesterday, lamented that there is no properly constituted local council administration in the state, calling on the Federal Government to immediately halt all allocations to the state government through the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) as stipulated in the Supreme Court ruling.

The PDP noted that revenues collected are not accounted for and are being diverted, describing the situation in the state as clear executive rascality and impunity taken too far by the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led administration.

The PDP also called on the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) to immediately recall the purportedly suspended council chairmen across the 18 local councils so that governance at the grassroots level can resume peacefully.

Briefing newsmen in Benin, the Chairman of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, Dr Anthony Aziegbemi, expressed displeasure at what he termed an unhealthy situation in Edo.

According to him, it has become imperative to again draw the attention of the public and other stakeholders to the ongoing constitutional crisis and extermination of constitutional democracy in the state by the Okpebholo-led state government, which has crippled local council administration and placed the state on the brink of an unprecedented crisis, chaos, and anarchy.

Aziegbemi called on the Attorney General to immediately halt all allocations to the state government through the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) as stipulated in the Supreme Court ruling.

He said the local council administration now is nonexistent in the state because of Okpebholo’s illegal actions. He said: “Since the illegal suspension of the duly elected chairmen, over N30 billion has been sent to local councils under the control of the state government, which Okpebholo is sharing among his party leaders.

“There is currently no approved budget in any local council in the state, but they have continued to spend funds illegally. They don’t follow due process in the execution of contracts, purchase of transformers, and organisation of events.

“Over the last three months, the Okpebholo government has unilaterally stopped salaries for the duly democratically elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries, supervisory councillors, special advisers, and special assistants. There is also a nepotistic and selective payment of salaries to elected loyal councillors across the 18 local councils of the state.”

Responding, the Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State governor, Fred Itua, dismissed the PDP claims saying: “The security and well-being of Edo people remain Okpebholo’s utmost priority, and he will not allow politically sponsored violence to take root in our state.”