The groups issued the warning while reacting to the recent suspension of the 18 local government chairmen in the state by the governor and the State House of Assembly.
Civic groups under the umbrella of the Concern Civil Society Organisations in Edo State have warned the state Governor, Monday Okpebholo, and the State House of Assembly to desist from interfering in the local government administration in the state.
The groups issued the warning while reacting to the recent suspension of the 18 local government chairmen in the state by the governor and the State House of Assembly.
They also warned the governor and the lawmakers to desist from executive rascality and what they described as legislative “boyboyism”.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and jointly signed by the President of the Network of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria (NOCSON), Comrade Ogbidi Emmanuel and the Leader of Talakawa's Parliament (TP), Comrade Kola Edokpayi, the groups called on President Bola Tinubu to call Governor Okpebholo to order immediately.
The groups noted that the Supreme Court judgment delivered on July 11, 2024, which gave autonomy to the 774 local government areas in Nigeria including the 18 local governments in Edo State, makes it a law in Nigeria and supersedes every other law which is at variance including local government administrative laws.
The groups said, “The action of the governor and EDHA is illegal and unpopular. It negates the principles of the rule of law and Democratic tenets. The action of the governor and Honourable members amount to executive rascality and legislative 'boyboyism' or if you like rubber stamping.
“No doubt the governor has been ill-advised and must retrace his step as a matter of urgency for the sake of peace in the land and posterity.
“The governor must be reminded that the LG bosses are not accountable to him, but the people in the LG. They are not subordinate to him but are term-based elected officials in the third tier of government just as the governor is at the state level.
“Therefore, only the local government legislative arm can call the chairman to account and suspend same following due process.”
The groups stressed, “The House of Assembly must be reminded of their core responsibilities in the doctrine of separation of powers, as they owe the people. Part of their oversights is to curtail the excesses of the executive arm of government and guide same in a bid to strengthen our democratic system.
“The legislative arm begin to lose its potency and trust of the people when everything passes through them without putting the interest of the people first because they are tied to the apron strings of the governor.”
The statement further read, “The governor must understand the implications of his decisions. In another recent supreme Court judgement which forbids any state without a properly constituted local government administration from accessing allocation from FAAC, it therefore implies that for the next two months in Edo, local government workers would not receive their salaries, LG pensioners would not be paid and contractors as well. This will amount to economic stagnation and starvation of the people.”
The groups therefore asked the Edo State Governor Okpebholo and the Edo State House of Assembly to yield to the superior and objective voice of reasoning and, “To desist from interfering in LG administration in the state.
“Partner with the various LGs irrespective of their political differences to deliver the dividend of democracy to both the urban and rural dwellers in the state.”
The groups also demanded, “The house of assembly must immediately revisit their earlier decision of suspending the LG chairmen, but allow them to continue their work in serving the local government as elected officials.”
The groups noted, “That these actions will be most effective and appreciated by Edo people within the next 72 hours. As failure to do the needful will leave the entire Edo people with no choice than to rise up and save our democracy by every legitimate means possible.”
The statement added, “We therefore call on President Bola Tinubu to call Edo state governor to order immediately, as this path he is toeing negates the renewed hope agenda of his administration following their rule in the last supreme Court judgement which liberated 774 LGs from the very iron grip of the states.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, a wise man once said. We must, therefore, stand to defend our democracy at all levels irrespective of those involved.”