Inside Edo
Political thugs Shut Edo council secretariat, workers stranded
Written By: Dada Ayokhai
30 Dec 2024 05:45 PM
Auchi, Edo – As anticipated, the face-off between the state government and the council chairmen is about to take a violent dimension which may severely undermine the effective operation of the councils.
Today, suspected thugs have unlawfully taken control of the Etsako West Council Secretariat in Auchi, leaving council workers stranded and unable to perform their duties for the community.
This troubling development appears to be directly linked to the state government's apparent strategy to block the reinstated council chairmen from returning to their offices.
Hon. Marvellous Zibiri, the Etsako West council chairman, is among those who received a reprieve from a court ruling that mandated no obstacles should impede the suspended chairmen from resuming their roles.
Yet, despite this court order, Hon. Zibiri was physically barred from accessing his office located within the council secretariat.
In a previous press statement, Hon. Zibiri proclaimed that he had resumed office by the court's judgment.
However, a visit to the council secretariat in Auchi presents a starkly different reality.
The main entrance to the council was noticeably blocked by a group of fierce-looking thugs said to have been allegedly sponsored by the state government to make sure the council chairman and his deputy do not gain access to the council
Also, council workers reporting for duty met the whole place barricaded by the thugs and were forced to gather under the trees outside the secretariat to converse in hushed tones about this alarming situation, careful not to provoke the thugs.
A police van was also positioned at both the entrance and outside the council, but the deployed officers from the local government police command were few and appeared indifferent to the chaos unfolding before them.
Many council workers voiced their frustration over the apparent tacit support the police were giving to the thugs.
They complained bitterly about the tacit support the police provided the thugs, arguing that if indeed they were present to maintain order, they should have dismantled the barricades, expelled the thugs, and opened the gates to allow the workers to resume their responsibilities.
The obvious inaction of the police strongly supports the notion that their presence served merely to facilitate the illegality of preventing the council chairmen from resuming their roles.
Meanwhile, the ongoing impasse has crippled payment of Primary School Teachers, and Pensioners as recent emerging facts have listed primary school teachers, both active and retired, as the major casualty of the ongoing conflict between the Edo State government and the 18 elected council chairmen.
At the heart of the face-off between the two tiers of government is the control of the council funds.
The fierce battle of wits has almost paralysed council activities and the withholding of the salaries and pensions of some categories of workers.
Council teachers are the most affected by the impasse.
They have since cried out about the non-payment of their December salary as well as the 13th-month bonus which was paid to all the state workers
Many of the primary school teachers and pensioners, who spoke to *Borderline News 24*, attribute their financial distress to the ongoing standoff
They further pointed out that it was the councils' responsibility to pay their salaries and expressed concern that their welfare had been overlooked due to the crisis.
Sources suggest that the delay in salary payments may stem from questions about who is authorized to sign the necessary bank documents for the release of funds.
Furthermore, the non-payment of salaries to teachers and pensioners could potentially disrupt the resumption of schools in January.
Recall that the state assembly suspended the 18 elected council chairmen at the request of the state government.
However, the suspended chairmen challenged their suspension in court and were successful in overturning it.
Despite the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice condemning the state government's actions—emphasizing the autonomy of local governments—Gov. Monday Okpevbolo and his supporters did not relent
In a swift response, the state government issued a circular aimed at crippling operations within the councils.
The circular also instructed council staff to sever ties with the suspended chairmen, their deputies, and others involved.
Resulting of this action, there is currently confusion regarding who is actually in charge of the councils, while the impasse rages
Today, suspected thugs have unlawfully taken control of the Etsako West Council Secretariat in Auchi, leaving council workers stranded and unable to perform their duties for the community.
This troubling development appears to be directly linked to the state government's apparent strategy to block the reinstated council chairmen from returning to their offices.
Hon. Marvellous Zibiri, the Etsako West council chairman, is among those who received a reprieve from a court ruling that mandated no obstacles should impede the suspended chairmen from resuming their roles.
Yet, despite this court order, Hon. Zibiri was physically barred from accessing his office located within the council secretariat.
In a previous press statement, Hon. Zibiri proclaimed that he had resumed office by the court's judgment.
However, a visit to the council secretariat in Auchi presents a starkly different reality.
The main entrance to the council was noticeably blocked by a group of fierce-looking thugs said to have been allegedly sponsored by the state government to make sure the council chairman and his deputy do not gain access to the council
Also, council workers reporting for duty met the whole place barricaded by the thugs and were forced to gather under the trees outside the secretariat to converse in hushed tones about this alarming situation, careful not to provoke the thugs.
A police van was also positioned at both the entrance and outside the council, but the deployed officers from the local government police command were few and appeared indifferent to the chaos unfolding before them.
Many council workers voiced their frustration over the apparent tacit support the police were giving to the thugs.
They complained bitterly about the tacit support the police provided the thugs, arguing that if indeed they were present to maintain order, they should have dismantled the barricades, expelled the thugs, and opened the gates to allow the workers to resume their responsibilities.
The obvious inaction of the police strongly supports the notion that their presence served merely to facilitate the illegality of preventing the council chairmen from resuming their roles.
Meanwhile, the ongoing impasse has crippled payment of Primary School Teachers, and Pensioners as recent emerging facts have listed primary school teachers, both active and retired, as the major casualty of the ongoing conflict between the Edo State government and the 18 elected council chairmen.
At the heart of the face-off between the two tiers of government is the control of the council funds.
The fierce battle of wits has almost paralysed council activities and the withholding of the salaries and pensions of some categories of workers.
Council teachers are the most affected by the impasse.
They have since cried out about the non-payment of their December salary as well as the 13th-month bonus which was paid to all the state workers
Many of the primary school teachers and pensioners, who spoke to *Borderline News 24*, attribute their financial distress to the ongoing standoff
They further pointed out that it was the councils' responsibility to pay their salaries and expressed concern that their welfare had been overlooked due to the crisis.
Sources suggest that the delay in salary payments may stem from questions about who is authorized to sign the necessary bank documents for the release of funds.
Furthermore, the non-payment of salaries to teachers and pensioners could potentially disrupt the resumption of schools in January.
Recall that the state assembly suspended the 18 elected council chairmen at the request of the state government.
However, the suspended chairmen challenged their suspension in court and were successful in overturning it.
Despite the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice condemning the state government's actions—emphasizing the autonomy of local governments—Gov. Monday Okpevbolo and his supporters did not relent
In a swift response, the state government issued a circular aimed at crippling operations within the councils.
The circular also instructed council staff to sever ties with the suspended chairmen, their deputies, and others involved.
Resulting of this action, there is currently confusion regarding who is actually in charge of the councils, while the impasse rages
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