The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has warned two new generation commercial banks against opening illegal banks accounts for the purported acting local government chairmen in the state for the purpose of accessing monthly allocations from the Federation Account.
Arogidigba Global Journal reports that the caretaker committee chairman of the party in the State, Anthony Aziegbemi gave the warning on Monday at a press conference in Benin City.
Aziegbemi, at the press conference titled ‘Ongoing constitutional crisis, chaos in Edo State Local Government Areas’, alleged that the two commercial banks are conniving with the state government to change the bank accounts and signatures of the elected council chairmen.
“In the Supreme Court Judgement, it ordered that monies must be paid to the local government council that have democratically elected chairmen, and that the only bank accounts that have signatures of these democratically elected chairmen are those accounts monies from the Federation Account should be paid to.
“We are using this opportunity to sound a note of strong warning and call two new generations commercial banks in the country to be very careful in all what they are doing in opening illegal accounts without democratically elected Council’s chairmen being signatories to those accounts.They would be held accountable when we look at what they have done going forward.
“These two banks are in the forefront conniving with the State Government in opening illegal accounts without the democratically elected council chairmen as signatories to these accounts. They would be held responsible for whatever goes on at that level.
“Since the illegal suspension of the duly elected chairmen, over N30 billion has been sent to local government councils under the control of the state government which Okpebholo,” he said.
Arogidigba Global Journal recalls that democratically elected local government chairmen were suspended by the Edo State of Assembly for two months over alleged insurbodination to the Governor of the State, Monday Okpebholo on December 17, 2024.
The embattled chairmen and their deputies were, however, allegedly impeached by the various legislative arms of the councils and the House Leaders sworn in as acting LG chairmen.
Aziegbemi opined that the suspension and the subsequent impeachment of the chairmen and deputies was contrary to Supreme Court and Edo State High Court judgements.
He also noted that the judgements only allowed that it is only democratically elected council chairmen that can have access to allocations from the Federation Account.
He alleged that the state government disregarded the advice of President Tinubu through the Attorney General of the Federation on the local government autonomy issue.
Aziegbemi, who said there is currently no approved budget in any local council in the state, alleged that the purported acting council chairmen are spending money illegally.
He also alleged that the acting chairmen don’t follow due process in the execution of contracts, purchase of transformers and organization of events.
“Since this three month period, the Okpebholo government has unilaterally stopped salaries to the duly democratically elected chairmen, vice chairmen, Secretaries, supervisory councilors special advisers and special assistants.
“This is while there’s a nepotistic and selective payment of salaries to elected loyal councilors across the 18 local councils of the State
“There is no approval for imprest and grants from legislators at EXCOs. Revenues collected are not accounted for and are being diverted. This is clear executive rascality and impunity taken too far,” he added.
He, however, called on the House of Assembly to immediately recall the purportedly suspended council chairmen so that governance at the grassroots level can resume peacefully.
He noted that nothing is currently, happening in the councils, and that the elected chairmen are being attacked and humiliated by suspected thugs whenever they attempt to work.