Controversy trails the impeachment of the Chairman of Egor Local Government Council in Edo State, Eghe Ogbemudia, and the vice chairman, Mr. Frank Osawe by the legislative arm of the council.
Eghe Ogbemudia, the chairman of the Egor Local Government Council in Edo State, and his vice chairman, Mr. Frank Osawe, were impeached by the legislative arm of the council due to allegations of gross misconduct, including abuse of office, financial misappropriation, unlawful withholding of a principal member’s and three other council members’ statutory allowances, and budget padding.
According to a statement from the acting chairman, Nosakhare Isiegbuwa moved the motion for the impeachment, and Stella Ogida Osagioduwa seconded it.
The statement added: “The impeachment proceedings were formally documented in the Edo State Government Gazette, notifying the affected officials of the initiation of impeachment proceedings in line with the Edo LG Bye-law on Pro-Action Notices, Legislative Privileges, and Impeachment Procedures for Elected Council Officials, 2024.”
Sequel to the impeachment of the council chairman and her vice chairman, the legislative council had earlier suspended its leadership, under Bosede Omokaro (Leader),Iwinosa Enabulele (Majority Leader),and Ambassador Elliot Inneh Enni (Chief Whip).
Subsequently,the new leadership with Kelvin Eguakun as Leader proceeded fast upon obtaining a signed petition from four council members seeking for the resignation of the local government chairman and vice chairman. However, in a counterstatement, Ogbemudia, the Chairman of the Egor Local Government Area, denied that the elected council members had impeached her and her deputy, Franco Osawe.
External powers were pressuring a minority of the council to remove her in order to gain access to the council coffers, she said in a statement released Friday night.
According to the statement, “I am a democrat and a strong advocate of the rule of law. Because of my background, I have never obstructed, and I will never interfere with the constitutional roles of the councillors in my local government area.
“The purported impeachment was carried out by a minority of councillors, and not founded on any known laws or provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria.
“I am using this medium to appeal to the good people of Egor Local Government Area to maintain law and order and disregard the unlawful action of these minority councillors.”
She said the Edo State High Court had set aside the unlawful suspension of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Local Governments in Edo State on the strength of the Constitution in addition to the judgment of the Supreme Court affirming their independence.
She said: “The purported impeachment of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of Egor Local Government Area by a handful of councilors is a distraction, illegal and it is of no effect.”
