The protest by forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Councillors in Edo State over the non-payment of salaries and other entitlements on Wednesday ended in a fiasco as they engaged themselves in hot arguments over the unfair sharing of the alleged mobilization fund to embark on the protest.
The aggrieved elected councillors from the 16 local governments out of the 18 local governments alleged that the non- payment of their salaries and entitlements spanning five months was denied them following the state governor’s directives to the council chairmen.
The councillors, who alleged that the sponsor of the protest gave the sum of N250,000 to the leaders of the group, however, questioned the modality of sharing N2,500.
One of the leaders of the group, who denied receiving any money from anybody to sponsor the protest told his members that they contributed the said amount to mobilize others for the protest.
Earlier, the councillors, expressed displeasure over the alleged suspension of elected and appointed government officials in 16 of the 18 LGAs.
The spokesperson, of the aggrieved councilors, Emwinghare Osabuohien, representing Ward 2, Egor Local Government Area, posited that no law empowers a legislative council to suspend elected members of the house who have a statutory tenure of office.
The protesters who carried placards bearing various inscriptions such as, “You were once an APC governor, What did APC councilor do to you, The illegal suspension of APC councilors must stop”,alleged that they were be oppressed and victimised for refusing to defect with governor Obaseki, to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“Today, the world should know that as elected councilors numbering over 90, we have not been paid our salaries since May 2020. Salaries and wages of the legislature is not a gift from the executive arm of government. All rights, privileges and other entitlements have been stopped on the directive of the governor because of our democratic choice and right.
“As elected councilors, we can only be validly removed from office by a recall any other means will amount to a breach of section 110(a) and (b) of the 1999 constitution and section 22 of the local government laws of Edo State 2000 as amended”,he said.
He however, called on the President, other top government officials and the National caretaker committee of the APC, to rise up in condemnation of the tyranny, inhumane treatment and undemocratic actions by the Edo State government.
‘We call on president Muhammadu Buhari, to prevail on governor Godwin Obaseki, to pay our 5-month salaries and lift the indefinite suspension placed on us so as to resume our legislative duties in service to the people”, he added.
Osabuohien, also urged the state governor, Godwin Obaseki to as a matter of urgency, allow the councilors elected on the platform of the APC, to resume their legitimate duties in service to their people.
He called on the governor to direct all council chairmen to pay their salaries, arrears, allowances and all other entitlements.
Reacting to the protest, the state government said it is not owing employee salaries and emoluments.
Crusoe Osagie, media aide to the governor in a statement noted that the state government has been up to date with its obligations to all cadre of workers or public officers.
“The state government has never reneged on its obligations to pay workers and other cadre of staff their due wages and salaries.
“The Edo State Government remains one of the few states in Nigeria that has been faithful with its salary obligations to workers.
“This trend is ingrained in the government’s belief that every worker is deserving of his or her wage. So, the claims being made by some persons over owed salaries are baseless.
“The allegation that these persons are being owed over political differences is even more ridiculous. The allegations are false and should be disregarded”,he added.
He called on the public to disregard the allegations, noting that they are ill-intentioned and have no basis in truth as every employee, appointee or elected official of government has been paid up-to-date.
Idris Umar Momoh & Churchill Okoro, Benin
