Former Edo State Governor and current Senator for Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has expressed strong support for the Edo State House of Assembly’s decision to suspend all 18 local government chairmen and their deputies.
The suspension, which was enacted on December 17, 2024, was due to allegations of insubordination and gross misconduct.
Speaking to journalists at his residence in Iyamho, Estako West Local Government Area, Oshiomhole highlighted serious concerns about the financial management under the suspended council executives.
He alleged that the officials had been diverting large sums of money to the former state governor, Godwin Obaseki, instead of utilizing the funds for local development.
Oshiomhole said, “People already know that there is a new Sheriff in town. He is stopping all the bad guys and stopping the bleeding that Edo was going through. It is not a secret that Local Government Councils were paying huge amounts of money to his predecessor (Godwin Obaseki), and he says ‘stop,’ not while I am here. We want the money to be used to develop the localities.”
The suspension followed a petition by Governor Monday Okpebholo, who accused the local council leaders of failing to submit financial account statements to the state government.
Meanwhile, Fred Itua, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okpebholo, praised the governor’s leadership within his first month in office. Oshiomhole also commended Okpebholo’s governance style, describing it as pragmatic and effective, contrasting it with Obaseki’s administration, which he criticized for prioritizing rhetoric over action.
