Suspended LG Chairmen; Edo State dares Fed Govt says Attorney-General not Constitution
Suspended LG Chairmen; Edo State dares Fed Govt says Attorney-General not Constitution
Governor Monday Okpebholo and the Edo State House of Assembly has pressed forward with their controversial suspension of all 18 local government chairmen.
The controversial suspension has led to a constitutional clash in the State.
This move followed a recent high-profile ruling by the Edo State High Court, which had invalidated the suspensions and issued an injunction preventing further interference in local government affairs until the core case was resolved.
The unfolding crisis also raises significant questions about the future of local government autonomy, a development bolstered by a landmark Supreme Court ruling under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
This ruling had reaffirmed the financial and administrative independence of local councils across the country.
Yet, despite this judicial victory, Edo State’s actions have cast a shadow over the progress made toward empowering local governments.
The dispute began when Governor Okpebholo gave local council chairmen a 48-hour ultimatum to submit their financial reports directly to him.
When the chairmen refused, the governor turned to the state assembly, accusing them of “gross misconduct” and invoking Section 10(1) of the Edo State Local Government Law (2000) to justify their suspension.
The assembly swiftly enacted a two-month suspension for the chairmen and their deputies.
In an intriguing twist, state officials dismissed the stance of the Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who had recently reaffirmed that only local councilors—not governors or state assemblies—held the constitutional right to remove or suspend elected local government officials.
Officials in Edo, including Barrister Emwanta, a member of the governor’s administrative panel, openly rejected this interpretation.
Emwanta, speaking on a national television program, argued that the state retained ultimate control over local governments, asserting that the Constitution permitted state authorities to supervise local financial matters, though not necessarily to amend the Constitution.
Echoing these sentiments, Kassim Afegbua, another member of the governor’s panel, challenged the Attorney General’s authority, claiming that Fagbemi, as the law officer of the federation, could not override the constitutional framework established by the Edo State House of Assembly.
Fred Itua, the governor’s spokesperson, further solidified the administration’s position, suggesting that the decisions of both the governor and the state assembly were fully justified.
He pointed out that while the Supreme Court had the power to shape policy, its rulings could not override clear constitutional stipulations.
Itua emphasized that the state’s powers to oversee both the executive branch and local government officials were explicitly defined within the existing federal structure.
This tense standoff in Edo State highlights the ongoing battle over the scope of local government autonomy, as state authorities challenge both judicial interpretations and the broader constitutional framework.
The outcome of this confrontation may have far-reaching implications for the balance of power between local governments, state authorities, and the central government in Nigeria.
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Tinubu mourns Abubakar’s passing, the Imam who shielded over 200 Christians in his mosque during communal riot
Tinubu mourns Abubakar’s passing, the Imam who shielded over 200 Christians in his mosque during communal riot
President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Imam Abdullahi Abubakar, Chief Imam of Nghar village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau, who passed away at 92.
This is contained in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Friday in Abuja.
The late cleric gained national and international recognition in 2018 for sheltering more than 200 Christians during communal violence in Plateau.
Tinubu described Abubakar as an extraordinary religious leader whose life exemplified faith, courage and a deep reverence for the sanctity of human life.
“At such a time when tribal and religious tendencies seemed to overwhelm reason, Imam Abubakar stood firmly on the side of peace, benevolence and conscience.
“Mindless of the enormous risk to his own life, the noble cleric chose humanity over division, love as opposed to hatred and embrace rather than rejection,” the President said.
He said the Imam’s actions embodied the true essence of faith and delivered a powerful message beyond sermons.
The President noted that the cleric’s uncommon bravery earned him local and international honours celebrating peaceful coexistence.
“I urge religious and community leaders to imbibe and preach the spirit of tolerance, mutual respect and peaceful togetherness as expounded in the life of Imam Abubakar,” Tinubu said.
He prayed that God grants the late Imam eternal rest and rewards him for his courage and good deeds. (NAN)
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Govt. introduces solar installation, garment making, GSM repairs in jss curriculum
Govt. introduces solar installation, garment making, GSM repairs in jss curriculum
The Anambra Government has introduced 15 entrepreneurial subjects into the Junior Secondary School (JSS) curriculum to enhance students’ practical skills and foster an entrepreneurial mindset.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new subjects include solar installation, garment making, GSM repairs, agriculture and processing, plumbing, tiling, POP installation and event management.
Others are bakery, hairstyling, make-up, interior design, CCTV/intercom installation, digital literacy, information technology and robotics.
Prof. Nkechi Ikediugwu, Chairperson ,Post Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC), while speaking at the occasion in Awka on Friday, said the initiative was aimed at repositioning education to meet contemporary needs.
Ikediugwu noted that in a rapidly changing world, education should go beyond theory and examinations to equip students with practical skills, creativity, innovation and an entrepreneurial mindset.
“The goal of the programme is to prepare learners, not only to seek jobs but to create value, generate employment and contribute meaningfully to the economic development of the state,”she said.
Mr Cyril Nwuche of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, delivered a paper titled “Building Entrepreneurial Secondary Schools: Why Every School Needs an Entrepreneurship Club”.
Nwuche said the introduction of entrepreneurial subjects showed that the government was on the path to transforming the state’s economy.
“Traditional academic instruction alone is no longer sufficient to prepare children for the future.
“There is the need for schools to embrace practical and skill-based learning to enable students to thrive in a dynamic global environment, ” he said. (NAN)
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Two men docked for allegedly defiling underaged girl
Two men docked for allegedly defiling underaged girl
The police in Lagos on Friday, charged two men before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defiling an 11- year-old girl.
The defendants are: Prince Tomnyie, 40, a businessman, who resides at Agege, and Micheal Adenuga, 24, a furniture maker, who resides at Atere Street in Lekki.
They are standing trial on charges of defilement, and had each pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, ASP Adegoke Ademigbuji told the court that they committed the offence sometimes in December 2024, and September 2025, at Langbasa Ajah and Igbara Lekki, Lagos .
The prosecutor alleged that the victim’s father, had taken his daughter for medical check and it was discovered that the minor had been defiled.
The prosecution alleged that the victim had told her father that his friend, Tomnyie, defiled her sometimes ago.
Ademigbuji alleged that the victim also mentioned the second defendant’s name who lives in their neigbourhood.
The offence contravenes the provisons of section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr L. A Owolabi, granted the defendants bail in the sum of of N600,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case until March 5, for mention. (NAN)
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