Edo Govt House Wages ‘War’ Against Egor LGA Chairman, Ogbemudia…Gets Impeached and Suspended

By Reporter

The budding crisis that was earlier reported by Midwest Herald as being sponsored by interested parties in Edo State Government House, has sacked the Chairman of the Council, Ms Eghe Ogbemudia.

Midwest Herald followed the nocturnal activities of some members of the legislative arm of the council last night, which culminated in the impeachment of the chairman, Ms Ogbemudia on allegation sundry offences, including padding of the council’s supplementary budget and other offences of corruption.

The nocturnal impeachment sitting was presided over by the new Leader of the House and Councillor representing Ward 3, Godwin Uwadiae Edigin.

The stage was set when the councillor representing ward 2, Stella Osagioduwa Ogida who had been detailed, moved the no confidence vote motion against the chairman.

Introducing her motion, she reminded her colleagues that they were yet to be assigned offices after 10 months of inauguration and also accused the troubled chairman of corrupt activities.

“This is the 10th month since our inauguration and, the Councillors of Egor Legislative Arm do not have offices.

“We have also uncovered the padding of the council’s supplementary budget to the tune of N1.7 billion. The Chairman did not involve the councilors in the preparation and approval of the council’s supplementary budget.

“After reviewing these actions and many other acts of gross misconduct, I want to pass a vote of no confidence on the chairman,” the leader reminded his colleagues.

Mr. Ambassador Elliot Inneh, Councillor representing Ward 9, who seconded the motion, said: “We have tried to reach out to the Honourable Chairman to no avail. Before us today, we have a budget proposal amounting to N6.054bn that was passed through this hallowed chambers.

“To our greatest surprise, we found out that the Chairman in connivance with the erstwhile leader of the house, went behind our back and padded the budget to the tune of N7.896bn.”

There after, the house leader, called for a voice vote and expectedly, majority of councillors supported the motion and what followed was the impeachment motion which was overwhelmingly supported and passed.

However, realizing that their plans have been exposed, the councilors were advised to reconvene today in daylight to substitute their impeachment with suspension, which they briskly did and installed the Vice Chairman to replace Ms. Ogbemudia.

The development has been opposed by several interest groups who have allegedly accused the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie and the Chief of Staff to Governor Godwin Obaseki, Mr. Osaigbovo Iyoha who they claimed were against Ogbemudia’s candidacy in the first instance.

For instance a leader who spoke against the alleged interference of Ogie and Iyoha in the internal affair of Egor Local Government Council, in a statement titled: “Rebuttal of Purported Impeachment of Egor Local Government Council Chairman”, has rejected the suspension.

“Information making the rounds that the Executive Chairman of Egor Local Government Council, Hon. Eghe Ogbemudia has been impeached cannot be further from the truth.

“Over the past few weeks, there has been some friction between the leaders of the Party and the Executive Chairman.

“This led to the instigation of the some councilors for her impeachment. The sitting took place at the wee hours of night when the councilors broke into the legislative chamber without the Clerk of the House.

“An impeachment process cannot be concluded in minutes. Which makes everything they have done null and void.”

A member of Edo State House of Assembly have also confided in Midwest Herald earlier today and expressed reservation over the executive interference in Egor and other Local Government Councils, to the fact that, the two public officers have been fingered in the plot to disorganize the LGAs administration in Edo State.

“What is happening in Egor is a slap on the Legislative Arm of Edo State Government and a slap to the House of Assembly in Edo State.

“With sadness and disappointment in our hearts it has come to our notice that the Legislative Arm of Edo State Government is no longer respected. It is almost a ‘shamble’ of itself.

“What a big slap to the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly Rt. Hon Blessing Agbebaku, the Chairman House Committee on Local Lovernment and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon Uyi Omosigho.

“You will recall that on the 25th of June 2024, an illegal impeachment of the Speaker of Egor was alleged to have taken place which resulted to a councilor stabbing a supervisory councilor almost to death.

“This caused a huge scene in the council and the House of Assembly quickly took action the next day and met with all the councilors involved and a decision was made that the impeachment is none and void, that we are close to election so we should avoid crisis.

“Yesterday night the said councilors broke into the council and went to do an illegal plenary stating that, they have impeached the council chairman.

“The move was (allegedly) sponsored by Chief Odion Olaye who is a leader in the local government, who was said to have claimed to allegedly have the backing of the SSG (Barr Osarodion Ogie) and COS (Osaigbovo Iyoha).

“It is a big shame that they want to project a former (alleged) notorious cult group leader, council chairman.

“Its a shame that two months to election, this is going on. We call on the Executive Governor of the State, His Excellency Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki to quickly look into this before it escalates.

“It is an insult that government house appointees will join miscreants to undermine us as members of State House of Assembly.”

The last may not have been heard, as Midwest Herald reliably gathered that the development may lead to rival cult supremacy fight for control of the urban council.

Read Also: Edo PDP Leaders in All Out Cult Battle to Control Egor LG Council