Political tension in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area reached a boiling point on Thursday as the Chairman of the council, Hon. Alabi Bliss Oshionogue, was impeached by councillors amid allegations of abuse of office and financial misconduct.
Oshionogue’s removal was conveyed in an impeachment letter signed by seven councillors, just hours after members of the Edo State House of Assembly failed to broker peace between the chairman and the aggrieved lawmakers.
The impeachment followed a dramatic breakdown of trust within the council, with sources alleging that the crisis escalated after three councillors, who reportedly did not attend the reconciliation meeting with state lawmakers, attempted to remove the seven aggrieved councillors from office.
According to multiple sources, the seats of the seven councillors were subsequently declared vacant, prompting them to swiftly regroup at Igarra, the headquarters of Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, where they issued the impeachment notice against the chairman.
The impeachment letter, dated 28 January 2026, accused Oshionogue of a catalogue of alleged infractions.
“We, the undersigned members of Akoko Edo Local Government Area Legislative Arm hereby impeach you as the acting Local Government Council Chairman with effect from today, the 28th January, 2026,” the letter read.
The councillors cited alleged abuse of office, high-handedness, embezzlement of council funds, anti-party activities, financial recklessness, forgery, and constant disobedience to constituted authorities as grounds for his removal.
Tensions at the council secretariat spilled into public view shortly after the impeachment, with a viral video circulating online showing moments when the embattled chairman was reportedly booed out of office by an agitated crowd.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the state government proved unsuccessful. The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu, did not pick calls to his mobile phone as of the time of filing this report.
The development adds to growing concerns over political instability at the grassroots level in Edo State, where internal power struggles within local government councils have increasingly disrupted governance and service delivery.
As of press time, there was no official statement from Hon. Oshionogue or clarification on whether the impeachment process would face legal or administrative review.
However, sources close to Uptown Press said the crisis that culminated in Oshionogue’s impeachment began during the 2025 yuletide period, when funds released by the Edo State Government for Christmas welfare allegedly failed to reach intended beneficiaries in full.
Traditionally, State governments disburse end-of-year funds to cater for Christmas allowances and gifts for civil servants, political office holders and traditional rulers. In Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, it was alleged that N100 million was released by Governor Monday Okpebholo to cover these obligations.
However, according to multiple sources, only N40 million was eventually used for the purchase of rice and other Christmas items, leaving civil servants, politicians and traditional rulers dissatisfied and raising questions over the whereabouts of the balance.
The controversy gained traction following a viral video by the Akoko-Edo Local Government APC Chairman, Mr Monday Oseh, who alleged that Oshionogue received the full N100 million from the state government but authorised spending of just N40 million on Christmas provisions.
In the video, Oseh claimed that when party leaders queried the discrepancy, the embattled chairman explained that he had allegedly been compelled to release a substantial portion of the funds to Kabiru Adjoto, described as an influential figure in local government affairs, while retaining another portion for himself—leaving what Oseh termed a “paltry” sum for council-wide distribution.
Oseh further alleged that Oshionogue was not a committed member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but a “circumstantial” party affiliate allegedly working against the party’s interests. He accused both Oshionogue and Adjoto of maintaining ties with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claims which could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report.
According to Oseh, concerns over Oshionogue’s loyalty and conduct were raised repeatedly, including allegations that he failed to pay the 13th-month salary to council workers as directed by the governor, and that he routinely took instructions from external political actors rather than constituted authorities.
Further claims suggested that the former chairman spent extended periods away from the council secretariat, contributing to administrative paralysis and growing discontent within the local government.
The allegations have also widened scrutiny to Adjoto, who has been described by critics as wielding excessive influence over local government administration across Edo State. Some party stakeholders have called for a thorough investigation, warning that unchecked control of council finances could undermine governance at the grassroots.
It should be noted that all allegations remain unproven, and neither Oshionogue nor Adjoto has publicly responded to the claims as of press time.
Oshionogue was formally impeached by seven councillors on 28 January 2026, following a breakdown of peace talks involving the Edo State House of Assembly. His impeachment letter cited allegations including abuse of office, financial recklessness and disobedience to constituted authority.
As pressure mounts for official clarification, residents of Akoko-Edo and political observers alike are calling on the state government to investigate the claims surrounding the Christmas funds, in order to restore confidence in local government administration and ensure accountability at the grassroots.
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