The Edo State House of Assembly has suspended 18 chairmen and vice chairmen of 18 local government councils for refusing to submit their financial records to the state government.
The lawmakers suspended the council chairman and their vice after passing a resolution on their alleged act against transparency and accountability in the state.
To avoid a leadership vacuum, the lawmakers mandated leaders of the councils’ legislative arms to take over affairs pending the expiration of the suspension.
The suspension of the council’s chairmen and their deputies on Tuesday followed a motion moved by the member representing Esan North East one, Isibor Adeh, and seconded by the member representing Akoko-Edo two, Donald Okogbe.
The governor of the state, Monday Okpebholo, had written a petition to the House over the refusal of the chairmen to submit financial records of their local government to the state government.
In the letter, the governor who described their action as an act of insubordination and gross misconduct, requested the House to look into the matter.
When the matter came up for debate, 14 members voted in favour of the motion for their suspension, six opposed the motion and three members did not participate in the voting.
The speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, had earlier told the members that all of them must speak on the matter.
After they had all spoken, the speaker directed the clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai, to do a head count of the members who supported or opposed the suspension of the council’s chairmen and their deputies.
