A brewing constitutional crisis in Edo State took a dramatic turn on Monday as Governor Monday Okpebholo and the Edo State House of Assembly pressed ahead with the suspension of 18 local government chairmen, defying a court ruling that had declared the action unlawful.
On Friday, Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of the Edo High Court issued an injunction, declaring the suspension of the chairmen null and void, and ordered the state government to refrain from interfering in local government matters. However, despite the court’s decision, state officials insisted that the suspension would stand, citing “gross misconduct” by the chairmen.
This latest development follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling affirming the financial and administrative autonomy of local councils across Nigeria. Despite this, the Edo State government has challenged the ruling, with Governor Okpebholo demanding that the local government chairmen submit their financial reports directly to him. When the chairmen refused, the governor sought their suspension through the state assembly, which was quickly approved.
The state government’s actions have been met with significant pushback, particularly from legal experts and the Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, who has reiterated that only local councillors—not governors or state assemblies—have the constitutional right to suspend or remove elected local government officials.
Despite this, Edo state officials, including Barrister Emwanta of the governor’s administrative panel, have rejected these statements, claiming that local governments are still under state control. Appearing on Channels Television, Emwanta argued that while financial autonomy has been granted to local governments, it does not strip the state of its authority over them, accusing the Supreme Court of overstepping its bounds.
As tensions rise between the state and federal authorities, the outcome of this standoff could have far-reaching implications for the future of local government autonomy in Nigeria, as both sides brace for a protracted legal battle.
