Continuous use of "acting Chairmen" is illegal and undermines constitutional democracy — _group tells Edo governor

_...As Okpebholo continue to disparage Tinubu's cherished achievement—local government autonomy_

By Gidigba Group

Again, Gidigba Group, a Benin-based socio-political organization, reminds the Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo, of the brazen illegality and anti-democratic posture that has become common place in Councils in Edo State, owing to the illegal occupation of Councils by "acting Chairmen", having evicted validly elected Council Chairmen and Vice Chairmen last December.

The conceptualization of "acting Chairman" by the Okpebholo-led administration, is alien to our constitution and does not hold any validity in constitutional democracy; and for a four-month old administration to be so embroiled in brazen anomaly portends a dark spot in the administration's life.

Today, despite the political inconvenience, many States have embraced local government autonomy, governors are interacting with elected local government Chairmen to advance development down the grassroot, with plans to conduct smooth elections when their tenure runs out constitutionally; that the local government was one of the first institutions to be crumbled on Okpebholo's assumption of office portends a direct attack on President Tinubu's cherished legacy—local government autonomy. 

Recall that Mr. President, December last year, advised governors to collaborate with elected local government Chairmen to drive development down the grassroot, re-emphasizing the need to strengthen local government autonomy at the State level, having successfully secured a favourable Supreme Court ruling granting local government autonomy, and why State governors in Rivers, Osun, has made attempts to unbundle the controversies surrounding local government administration in the States, Okpebholo has remained adamant, unfazed, making no attempt to rectify the illegality now prevalent in Councils across Edo State, despite admonitions by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN. 

It has become a matter of public concern, that the Edo State governor, who is a principal beneficiary of Tinubu's democracy, would be first to launch attack on the President's notable achievement of local government autonomy, disregard AGF Fagbemi's counsel, disobey Supreme Court ruling and those of lower courts, many have said that for a governor who is in court to legitimize his mandate, should have been seen religiously enforcing court orders, but for Okpebholo, the reverse has been the case: while in one breadth, Okpebholo is in court to legitimize his mandate, he, on another breadth, disobeys Supreme Court order on local government autonomy, an action treasonable in law. 

Following Okpebholo's disparaging of all legal counsels and court injunctions, including undermining AGF's attempts to reverse the ugly trend, local government Secretariats in Edo have become shadows of themselves—largely dysfunctional, inoperative, due to the unconstitutionality surrounding the "acting Chairmen" narrative and their inability to exercise critical authority, like payment of salaries, others, which has caused untold hardship for pimary school teachers in Edo. 

But why will the Edo State governor decide to crumble Tinubu's legacy in the State; what could have necessitated this mindless attack on Tinubu's local government autonomy, and what impact would Okpebholo's fight against Tinubu's cherished achievement make in his administration, and by extension, in Edo State? These and several other puzzling questions are currently flying around, considering the perceived harmonious relationship between Tinubu and Okpebholo, which of cause, the governor mentioned in one of his television interviews to mark his 100 days in office. 

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As advocacy group, Gidigba has repeatedly expressed concerns on the damning consequences Okpebholo's war on Tinubu's local government autonomy could erupt, the ravaging economic impact, and the outright denial of grassroot development in that third and very critical tier of government; Edo has not been known to be a lawless community, under Okpebholo however, heightened concerns as to the governor's penchant to disobey lawful orders abounds—and the dismantling of Tinubu's local government autonomy against Supreme Court order, AGF's counsel, is a stark reminder of Okpebholo's war on constitutional democracy. 

Whereas we cannot identify any significant achievement across Councils since the illegal takeover of that tier, underlining the fact that nothing can be achieved in a lawless and disorderly environment, the need for continuous engagement of critical institutions to bring an end to the constitutional dislodgement in Edo cannot be overemphasized. 

Consequent upon this, we call, respectfully on President Tinubu, Minister of Justice and AGF Lateef Fagbemi, ALGON National, the Blessing Agbebaku-led Edo State House of Assembly, the National Assembly (Senate-HoR), EDOCSO, its affiliates, Edo NUJ, voices of reasoning, relevant groups, agencies and organizations, to save the threatened  local government autonomy in Edo now been persistently dismantled in the State, under the Okpebholo-led administration. 

Continuous use of "acting Chairmen" is illegal, undermining and disparages Tinubu's cherished achievement—local government autonomy, could Edo governor have launched a war again President Tinubu, Gidigba queries.