FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Igarra, Edo State, January 7, 2025: It is sad and a true call for sober reflection by those who invaded Akoko-Edo LGA Secretariat as captured in a video by one  Ofureku Ukonga and shared on social media.

The act of thuggery that he and others displayed through the forceful entering of Akoko-Edo local government secretariat shows the desperation for power without any thought of its implications on development and peace of the LGA.

This proclivity towards political violence and incitement against an elected local government council chairman and his vice should be condemned by all and sundry. The current chairman is yet to complete his remaining term in office. The purported impeachment by alleged minority of three councillors should not hold any water.

Be that as it may, AEF as a body demands immediate reversal of the infantile action. The current executive chairman and his vice should not be stampeded out of office through illegal means. The Apex court had before now concluded the matter that no authority is permitted or allowed to dissolve a duly constituted and elected local government council.

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Bola Tinubu fought through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to ensure allocations meant for local government councils should not be sent to councils accounts not properly constituted nor democratically elected. In the eye of the law, with the illegal move, there can be no allocation to the council because of the abuse of the decided matters in favour of the 774 LGAs in the nation.

We implore the Governor of Edo State, Senator, Monday Okpebholo to use his good offices to ensure that Edo State is governed by the rule of law, to avoid anarchy and any resort to lawlessness which will be counter-productive to the developments that the councils ought to bring to the people.

Barr. (Mrs.) Mary Opii,

Secretary,