Fracas As 2 Edo Council Chairmen Are Impeached
The crisis in Edo State local government areas continued on Thursday, as two chairmen were reportedly impeached by their councillors in Uhunmwonde and Orhionmwon local government areas.
However, their Owan East counterpart, Prince Aminu Okodo-Kadirihas, said that his purported impeachment, and that of his vice, Clement Ojebuovbo, was unconstitutional and illegal.
Meanwhile, in Uhunmwonde, several people were injured as gunmen allegedly attacked bystanders, injuring many of them in the process.
The chairman of the council, Kenneth Adodo, alleged that the shooters were policemen from the government house.
The councillors in Orhionmwon, on Wednesday, impeached the Leader of the house, Daniel Osariemen, and replaced him with Chuks Isan, as they got wind that Osariemen was being mobilized to impeach the chairman, Newman Ugiagbe, and his vice, Midwest Ogbebor.
The purportedly suspended Leader, Osariemen was alleged to have led unknown persons to take over the secretariat of the council in Abudu, where he purportedly resumed as the Acting Chairman of the local government area.
However, Ugiagbe, in a statement by his Press Secretary, Roy Osariemen, said the action in Abudu was illegal and that Ugiagbe remained the chairman of the local government area.
Addressing journalists in Benin City on Thursday, the chairman of Owan Owan East, Okodo-Kadiri, said his purported impeachment processes were fraught with irregularities, which, according to him, violated provisions of the law.
He referenced the Edo State Local Government Law of 2000 (as amended in 2002) which outlined specific procedures for the removal of council executives.
Okodo also argued that the councillors failed to establish a seven-member investigative panel as mandated by the law, even as he was denied the opportunity to defend himself before such a panel.
He pointed out that the mace used during the impeachment was not the official mace of Owan East Local Government Council, thereby invalidating the process.
According to him, “the governor alleged that council chairmen embezzled ₦50 million meant for salaries, but this claim lacks merit.
“Monthly salary expenditures far exceed ₦50 million in most councils and salaries were paid promptly up to November, contrary to the governor’s claims.
“If funds were misappropriated, where is the proof? Our bank records are clear, and no salaries are owed.
“Moreso, the purported impeachment revealed that two key councillors were involved in the process- Haruna Mohammed and another member from Ward Seven – who had been suspended for gross misconduct before the session.”
He argued that the suspended councillors’ participation in the process rendered the proceedings invalid and emphasised that his office was never notified of their reinstatement, as required by due process.
He, however, vowed to seek justice through the judiciary to restore justice and uphold the rule of law.
He expressed confidence in the courts to overturn what he described as illegal and politically motivated impeachment.
