Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomhole has announced the suspension of the chairman of Owan West Local Government, Godwin Agbodion over allegations of financial mismanagement and other administrative irregularities.
The governor announced his suspension when he addressed members of the Local Government Executive Council and Councilors at the Government House, Benin City.
The Governor said, “We have tried in the past to call the Chairman to have a good working relationship with his Executives. We have decided to set up a committee of inquiry to investigate these allegations, both financial and non-financial and in the provisions of the appropriate legislations of the Local Government law. I have decided to exercise the powers vested in me to suspend the Chairman during this period for the committee to investigate all the allegations and submit the report to me.
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“So with immediate effect, the Chairman is suspended and a Committee of inquiry is set up. In line with the rules, the Vice Chairman will act as the Chairman of the Local Government. I direct the suspended chairman to stay away from the premises of the Local Government. When the Committee is ready to sit, the Committee will invite you and you will have ample opportunity to defend yourself against all the allegations.
“For now, we all have an issue in hand subject to the findings of the committee. So I have called you here as Chairman, Vice Chairman and some of the Councilors, I advise you to desist from doing things that will lead to violence or in any way lead to destruction. If anybody does anything that leads to rioting or protests or anything that will disrupt the peace of the community, the person will be exposing himself because the full weight of the law will be brought to bear”.
The governor thereafter set up a 4-Man commission of inquiry headed by Chief Tom Uloko to investigate the allegations levelled against the Chairman.
Meanwhile, Esan North-East Local Government Chairman, Sam Oboh, has described an allegation by a group of All Progressives Congress supporters that he promoted anti-party policies in area, as “fictitious.”
Oboh also denied being responsible for the party’s defeat at the April 11 House of Assembly election, as claimed by the group.
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The group, under the aegis of ‘Concerned APC Members’ had in a statement accused the council boss of failing to secure the two legislative seats in the local government area, addition to the alleged payment of exorbitant fees for stores being rebuilt at a market in Uromi.
