Our reporter
A wave of impeachment has swept through Edo State’s local governments, with the Oredo Local Government Council in Benin City and Etsako West Local Government now embroiled in political turmoil.
In Oredo, Hon. Tom Obaseki, who had previously been suspended, has been formally impeached by the members of the Legislative Council. His removal was predicated on allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and financial mismanagement. Obaseki’s impeachment marks a significant escalation in the on-going political unrest sweeping through local councils in the State.
Meanwhile, in Etsako West, Hon. Marvellous Zibiri has also been ousted from his position as Chairman of the Local Government. Zibiri’s impeachment follows similar charges of misconduct, abuse of power, and allegations of financial mismanagement. In his place, Hon. Yamah Abdul, the Speaker of the Legislative Arm of Etsako West LGA, has taken over as the acting chairman of the local government area, stepping into the role amidst growing political uncertainty.
These impeachments are part of a larger wave of scrutiny surrounding the management of local government affairs in Edo State. Earlier, Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo accused the 18 Local Government Chairmen in the State of embezzling billions of naira allocated to their councils, further intensifying the scrutiny on local government leadership. The allegations of corruption, financial mismanagement, and abuse of power have raised alarms over the governance structures at the grassroots level.
The impeachment proceedings in Oredo and Etsako West come as part of an on-going effort by the State government to hold local leaders accountable for the alleged misappropriation of funds. Governor Okpebholo has been vocal in his commitment to rooting out corruption and ensuring that local government resources are used for their intended purposes, with investigations into financial discrepancies continuing.
As the situation develops, political observers are closely watching for further impeachments or resignations within Edo’s local councils. Both Hon. Obaseki and Hon. Zibiri have yet to respond publicly to the impeachment charges, while Hon. Yamah Abdul, now acting as Chairman of Etsako West, is expected to manage the affairs of the local government until a more permanent solution is reached.
The political fallout from these impeachments, combined with the allegations of financial misconduct, underscores the on-going challenges faced by the leadership in Edo State’s local governments, and raises critical questions about the future of governance at the grassroots level.
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