Lateef Fagbemi, the attorney-general of the federation (AGF)
and minister of justice, has faulted the Edo state house of assembly for
suspending the chairpersons of the 18 LGAs in the state.
On Tuesday, the Edo house assembly suspended the
chairpersons and their deputies for two months over alleged gross misconduct.
Blessing Agbebaku, the speaker of the house, said Monday
Okpebholo, governor of Edo, had written a petition to the assembly regarding
the chairpersons’ refusal to submit the financial records of their councils to
the state government.
Addressing journalists during a function in Abuja on
Thursday, Fagbemi said state houses of assembly lack the power to suspend or
remove council chairpersons.
He said local government chairmen cannot just be removed or
suspended by any governor without following due process of law under the
current administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The AGF maintained that only the legislature at the local
government level has the power to remove the chairpersons.
“I am aware that since July 11, when the supreme court
delivered a landmark judgment, local government administration has taken a new
turn, different from the old order,” he said.
“At any rate, we are still studying the situation, but
before final reaction, it must be stated categorically and emphatically that
for now, local government chairmen can only be removed through the legislative
arm of the local government itself and not the state house of assembly.”
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