Suspension of LG Chairmen: Edo High Court Restrains Governor Okpebholo, Orders Restoration of Chairmen

An Edo High Court sitting in Benin,  on Friday, ordered the restoration of the suspended chairmen and vice chairmen of the 18 local government councils in the state.
The defendants include the state Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo; Edo State Government and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly among others
The court, presided by Justice Efe Ikponmwonba, granted the order in a suit filed by the affected chairmen and deputy chairmen.
 Ikponmwonba, further restrained the defendants  from acting on the resolution of the state House of Assembly suspending the claimants and ordered that 
the status quo ante bellum, as at December 12, 2024, be maintained pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed on December 12, 2024.
The case was adjourned to February 17, 2025, for hearing, even as a hearing notice would be issued and served on the defendants.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had on Thursday, declared that state governors have no legal powers to remove elected local government officials from office.
Fagbemi's words, “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."
Okpebholo had Tuesday suspended the chairmen and their deputies in the state over alleged acts of  insubordination and misconduct following the approval of the State House of Assembly.
The governor had written the House of Assembly, complaining that the refusal of the LG officials to submit their financial accounts as demanded by him amounted to acts of insubordination and gross misconduct, hence the need for their suspension.