Three Edo State local Government Council Chairmen have instituted action against Governor Godwin Obaseki and others over alleged unlawful removal from office as Chairmen of their respective Local Government Councils.
According to the Online Judicial Correspondent, Jude Onoh , in suits Numbers B/204/os/ 2019, B/205/os/ 2019 and B/11/os/2020, Hon. Yakubu Musa of Estako West Local Government Council, Hon. Aremiyau Momoh of Estako East Local Government Council and Hon. Patrick Aguinede of Igueben Local Government Council instituted separate law suits against Edo State Governor and others in the Benin City High Court for unlawful removal from office as elected chairmen of their various Councils.
In the suits filed on their behalf by their Counsel, Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa, the Claimants accused Edo State Governor and the others of breaching the provisions of section 7 of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999 ( as amended) which guarantees the system of democratically elected Local Government in the country. The Council Chairmen also accused the Governor of flouting the provisions of the Local Government Law in Edo State by removing them from office arbitrarily based on trumped up charges and fictitious Investigative Panel reports.
The Claimants accused the Governor of imposing punishment on them for alleged criminal allegations without given them a fair hearing on account of the political division in Edo State Chapter of All Progressives Congress. The Council Chairmen in their Court processes stated that they ran the affairs of their Councils creditably, but were punished by removal without just cause and against the provisions of relevant laws. No date has been fixed for hearing.
