The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has condemned the Edo State House of Assembly for suspending the chairpersons of the 18 Local Government Areas in the state.
In a briefing with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the minister stated that only the legislative arm of local governments has the authority to sack or suspend council chairpersons.
He said that under the current dispensation, local government chairmen cannot be removed or suspended by any governor without following due process of law.
Fagbemi stated that state houses of assembly lack the power to suspend or remove council chairpersons.
On Tuesday, the Edo State House of Assembly suspended the chairpersons and their deputies for two months over alleged gross misconduct.
The Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, said Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, had written a petition to the assembly regarding the chairpersons’ refusal to submit the financial records of their councils to the state government.
