The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State expressed its concerns yesterday regarding the absence of a properly established local council administration within the state. The party urged the Federal Government to promptly cease all financial allocations to the state government via the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC), in accordance with the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The PDP highlighted that the revenues collected are not being properly accounted for and are being misappropriated, characterizing the current situation as a blatant display of executive misconduct and impunity by the administration led by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Furthermore, the PDP called upon the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) to reinstate the allegedly suspended council chairmen across the 18 local councils to facilitate a return to effective governance at the grassroots level.
During a press briefing in Benin, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, Chairman of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, voiced his dissatisfaction with what he described as a detrimental situation in Edo.
He emphasized the urgent need to alert the public and relevant stakeholders about the ongoing constitutional crisis and the erosion of constitutional democracy in the state, which has severely undermined local council administration and pushed the state towards an unprecedented crisis, chaos, and disorder.
Aziegbemi reiterated his call for the Attorney General to immediately suspend all allocations to the state government through the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC), as mandated by the Supreme Court ruling.
He asserted that the local council administration has effectively become non-existent due to Okpebholo’s unlawful actions, stating, “Since the unlawful suspension of the duly elected chairmen, over N30 billion has been allocated to local councils under the control of the state government, which Okpebholo is distributing among his party leaders.”
“There is currently no approved budget in any local council in the state, but they have continued to spend funds illegally. They don’t follow due process in the execution of contracts, purchase of transformers, and organisation of events.
“Over the last three months, the Okpebholo government has unilaterally stopped salaries for the duly democratically elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries, supervisory councillors, special advisers, and special assistants. There is also a nepotistic and selective payment of salaries to elected loyal councillors across the 18 local councils of the state.”
In response, Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor of Edo State, refuted the claims made by the PDP, stating: “The security and well-being of Edo people remain Okpebholo’s utmost priority, and he will not allow politically sponsored violence to take root in our state.”
