joshuaCSOs Urge Tinubu To Intervene In Edo LG Crisis To Save Democracy
By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
Amidst the crisis rocking Local Government (LG) Councils in Edo State since the suspension of the 18 Council chairmen and their vice chairmen, which is now degenating into violence;
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Edo State under the aegis of Concern Civil Society Organisations in Edo State have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene, call Governor Monday Okpebholo to order and restore democracy to the third tier of government in the state in accordance with the Supreme Court judgement on LG autonomy.
In a statement signed by the Concern Civil Society Organisations in Edo State signed by its spokesman, Emmanuel Ogbidi called on all lovers of democracy to prevail on the Edo State House of Assembly and Governor Monday Okpebholo to hearken to the voice of reason, recall the LG Council chairmen to office and rein in the hoodlums that are are allegedly laying siege at the various Council secretariats.
The CSOs claim that the Supreme Court judgement of 11 July has interpreted Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and has striped the House of Assembly of states of powers to suspend or sack LG chairmen.
“Following the recent supreme court judgment delivered on the 11th of July 2024, which gave autonomy to the 774 Local Governments in Nigeria including the 18 LG in Edo state, makes it a law in the land and supercedes every other laws which is at variance including local government administrative laws.
“The action of the governor and EDHA is illegal and unpopular. It negates the principles of the rule of law and Democratic tenets. The action of the governor and Honourable members amount to executive rascality and legislative ‘boyboyism’ or if u like rubber stamping. No doubt the governor has been ill-advised and must retrace his step as a matter of urgency for the sake of peace in the land and posterity.
“We therefore call on Mr President, Pres. Bola Tinubu to call Edo state governor to order immediately, as this path he is toeing negates the renewed hope agenda of his administration following their rule in the last supreme Court judgement which liberated 774 LGs from the very iron grip of the states”.
While urging Governor Okpebholo to stop interfering with the administration of LG Councils in the state, the CSOs also called on the Edo State House of Assembly to revisit its earlier decision suspending the Council chairmen.
“The governor must be reminded that the LG bosses are not accountable to him, but the people in the LG. They are not subordinate to him but are term base elected officials in the third tier of government just as the governor is at the state level. Therefore, only the local government legislative arm can call the chairman to account and suspend same following due process
The House of Assembly must be reminded of their core responsibilities in the doctrine of separation of powers, as they owe the people. Part of their oversights is to curtail the excesses of the executive arm of government and guide same in a bid to strengthen our democratic system. The legislative arm begin to lose its potency and trust of the people when everything passes through them without putting the interest of the people first because they are tired to the apron strings of the governor.
The governor must understand the implications of his decisions. In another recent supreme Court judgement which forbids any state without a properly constituted local government administration from accessing allocation from FAAC, it therefore implies that for the next two months in Edo, local government workers would not receive their salaries, LG pensioners would not be paid and contractors as well. This will amount to economic stagnation and starvation of the people.
We therefore call on the state governments Sen. Monday Okpebholo and the EDHA to yield the superior and objective voice of reasoning, desist from interfering in LG administration in the state
“Partner with the various LGs irrespective of their political differences to deliver the dividend of democracy to both the urban and rural dwellers in the state
“The House of Assembly must immediately revisit their earlier decision of suspending the LG chairmen, but allow them to continue their work in serving the local government as elected officials”.
