Edo chairmen dare Okpebholo, vow to remain in office until 2026

…it’s a matter of law – Attorney-General

The embattled 18 local government council chairmen and vice chairmen suspended by the Edo State House of Assembly for alleged gross misconduct, on Wednesday, declared that they would continue to carry out their elective duty, pending the expiration of their tenure in September, 2026.

Newman Ugiagbe, the chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Council, said this while addressing journalists in Benin on behalf of the local government council chairmen.

He said the chairmen were duly elected by their various local government areas in September last year and constitutionally, they are bound to vacate office in September 2026.

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“From the forgoing, the 18 local government chairmen elected in the election of sept 2nd 2023 and sworn into office on Sept 4th 2023, remains the Executive Chairmen of our respective local Government Councils and we are going on with our constitutional responsibility as the chief executive officers of our Councils”, Ugiagbe said.

Ugiagbe added the 18 Local Government Chairmen had through their Lawyer, Ogaga Ovrawah (SAN) & Sons, served the Executive Governor, Edo State of Nigeria and the Honourable Speaker, Edo State, the litigation documents, calling however on the Security Agencies to help protect their various Council’s Secretariats from possible attacks.

Reacting on behalf of the Edo State government, Samson Osagie, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, said “it is a matter of law; however, the 18 local government chairmen were not sacked, but suspended by the State House of Assembly for two months under section 7 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.