Edo Government Clarifies: AGF Not Reflective of Constitution on LG Chairmen Suspensions

Edo Officials Speak Out: Why AGF Doesn’t Dictate LG Chairmen’s Fate in Constitutional Matters

Edo State officials have asserted that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) does not represent the Constitution, maintaining that the suspension of the 18 local government chairmen remains valid. This stance persists despite a recent High Court ruling declaring the suspension null and void.

The controversy began when Governor Monday Okpebholo issued a 48-hour ultimatum for local council chairmen to submit their financial statements directly to him.

Their refusal led the governor to petition the state assembly, resulting in the suspension of the chairmen and their deputies for two months, citing “gross misconduct” under Section 10(1) of the Edo State Local Government Law (2000).

In response to the AGF’s declaration that only local councillors have the constitutional authority to suspend or remove elected local government officials, Edo officials, including Barrister Emwanta of the governor’s administrative panel, dismissed this, stating that the Constitution places local governments under state control.

This ongoing dispute highlights the tension between state authority and local government autonomy in Nigeria, especially following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of local councils’ financial and administrative independence.

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