The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has insisted that no governor has the legal powers to remove elected local government officials from office.
Fagbemi said this yesterday in Abuja, while responding to questions from journalists regarding the recent suspension of the chairmen of the 18 Local Governments in Edo State by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Recall that on Tuesday Governor Okpebholo suspended the council chairmen and their deputies in the state over alleged acts of insubordination and misconduct after the purported approval of the State House of Assembly.
Although the occasion was a citizen engagement on the Justice Sector Reforms under the AGF, the minister, while responding to a question on the Edo LGA issue, said he might not have the details surrounding the suspension, but maintained that under the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the law, no governor has the powers to remove elected LG chairmen and their councillors.
“I am aware that since July 11, when the Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment, local government administration has taken a new turn, different from the old order.
“At any rate, we are still studying the situation but before final reaction, it must be stated categorically and emphatically that for now, local government chairmen can only be removed through the legislative arm of the local government itself and not the State House of Assembly,” Fagbemi said.
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