Edo Assembly, Oshiomhole at war over tenure of LG Chairmen

 

The Edo House of Assembly and Gov. Adams Oshiomhole, have disagreed over the resolution on tenure of local government chairmen passed by the legislature.
On April 18, the House passed a resolution directing LG chairmen to hand over administration to their respective council’s heads at the expiration of their three-year tenure on April 21.
In a letter he signed and addressed to the House on Wednesday, Oshiomhole described the resolution as “inappropriate and unacceptable.”

The letter read: “my attention has been drawn to the resolution of the House directing local government chairmen to hand over administration on April 21, 2016.
“The resolution is a usurpation of the powers of the executive. The House does not have the power to give such directive.
“I have already directed the local government chairmen to submit their handing over note and transmit such to the office of the governor,’’ the letter stated.
Reacting to the governor’s letter, Mr Kabiru Adjoto, (APC Akoko-Edo), said that the House derived its powers from the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He said: “Mr Speaker, I want to state clearly that the House has the powers to make laws for the state and any other matter not included in the exclusive list.

“We did not dissolve the councils, what we did was to remind them that their tenure expires on Thursday, April 21, 2016 and directed them to hand over administration to their various head of local government as there can be no vacuum in government.
“I want to move that the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Henry Idahagbon, be invited to explain why he has misinformed the governor on constitutional matters,’’ Adjoto said.
Other lawmakers, who reacted to the letter, unanimously concurred with Adjoto submissions.
They contended that they acted within the ambit of the law and the powers conferred on them by Sections 4, 6 and 7 of the 1999 constitution as amended and Section 10 (1) of the local government law 2000 as amended.
The Speaker, Mr Victor Edoror reaffirmed the resolution passed by the House directing LG chairmen to hand over administration to their HOS at the expiration of their tenure on Thursday.
He summoned the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to appear before the House on April 26. (NAN)