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The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has described the illegal dissolution and taking over of local government administration by state governors as a treasonable offence.
Fagbemi stated this on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of an event organised by the Nigeria Bar Association in Abuja.
Represented by the Director of Civil Appeals in the ministry, Tijani Gazali, the AGF noted that despite the judgment of the Supreme Court and the provision of the constitution guarding against the interference of state governors in the running of local government councils, some governors and their state assemblies continue dissolving elected local government council without following the provisions of the constitution.
He also accused the Attorney General and Commissioners for Justice at the state level for not giving legal advice to their governors and called for a stiff penalty against any governor who continues in such an illegal act.
Some state governors have been at loggerheads with some local government chairmen.
Last December, the Edo State House of Assembly passed a resolution suspending all chairmen and vice chairmen of the 18 local government councils of the state for two months.
The house also mandated leaders of the legislative arms to take over leadership of their respective councils.
The suspension of the council’s chairmen and their deputies followed a motion moved by the member representing Esan North East one, Isibor Adeh and seconded by the member representing Akoko-Edo two, Donald Okogbe.
The governor of the state, Senator Monday Okpebholo had written a petition to the House over the refusal of the chairmen to submit financial records of their local government to the state government.
Worried by the situation, the Attorney General of the Federation faulted the Edo State House of Assembly for suspending the chairpersons of the 18 Local Government Areas in the state.
The minister said that it was only the legislative arm of local governments that could sack or place council chairmen on suspension.
He said that under the current dispensation, local government chairmen cannot just be removed or suspended by any governor without following due process of law.
Fagbemi stated that state houses of assembly lack the power to suspend or remove council chairpersons.
