By Newsmata
The impeached chairman of Egor local government council, Eghe Ogbemudia, has poohpoohed her “purported impeachment” alongside her vice chairman, Frank Osawe, describing it as “a distraction, illegal and of no effect”. Ogbemudia said the sponsors of the exercise were after the council’s treasury.
Newsmata recalls that Ogbemudia and Osawe were impeached on Friday by some councillors for alleged gross misconduct, including abuse of office, financial misappropriation, unlawful withholding of statutory allowances of a principal member and three other Council members, as well as budget padding.
However, in a personally signed statement Friday night, Ogbemudia insisted that she had not breached any law governing local administration, and had never received any query from the Councillors to warrant her impeachment. She contended that the so-called impeachment of herself, and her vice, Frank Osawe, were not known to law and therefore illegal.
She therefore advised the Councillors behind the impeachment “to concern themselves with their responsibility in line with the laws and Constitution of Nigeria and should refuse to be used by those that are clearly against democracy and development in Egor Local Government Area”.
According to the statement, “I am a Democrat and a strong advocate of the rule of law. In view of my background, I have never obstructed, and I will never interfere with the Constitutional roles of the Councillors in my Local Government Area.
“The purported impeachment was carried out by minority of Councillors and not founded on any known laws or provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria. I am using this medium to appeal to the good people of Egor Local Government Area to maintain law and order and totally disregard the unlawful action of this minority Councillors.
“The unruly and unconstitutional method of the so-called impeachment clearly points to the sponsorship of disgruntled elements interested in crisis in Egor Local Government Area. Their ultimate aim is unholy access to the funds of the Local Government to serve their personal interest.
“Since my assumption of office as the Chairman of Egor Local Government Area, I have never acted in breach of the provisions of the laws of the Local Government Area, the state and the Constitution of Nigeria.
“There is no query before me from the Councillors or any authorised body that requires my response.”
Ogbemudia said she had no interest in usurping the powers of the Councillors or act contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria, and called on the Councillors to also know that they cannot act contrary to the constitution.
She noted that the Edo State High Court had set aside the unlawful suspension of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Local Government councils in Edo State on the strength of the Constitution, in addition to the judgement of the Supreme Court affirming their independence.