Fake Councillors Now Impeach Council Chairmen, Deputies in Edo

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The desperation to get council chairmen and their deputies impeached climax last week with deployment of fake councillors to do the hatchet job.

It is as alleged agents of the state government assembled impostors to say the Etsako West local government chairman and his deputy have been impeached

The imported local government  legislators in a kangaroo arrangements sat and pronounced the impeachment of the Chairman, Marvelous Zibiri and his vice, Benjamin Ojetu.

In a viral video, the 12 legislators  representing the 12 wards of the local government area claimed that  the purported impeachment took place at about 4:30 pm, Friday when  the bonafide legislators were together in another location.

In another viral video, the six impostors along with a speaker masquerading as leader sat in the legislative chamber of the local government in a manner the camera cannot capture their faces.

The motion to impeach the chairman was moved by a majority leader and seconded by another legislator with none of them announcing their names in line with parliamentary procedure.

‎The speaker instrument pronouncing the impeachment said: “ I, the speaker Etsako West LGA hereby impeach Hon Zibiri Marvelous and cohort the Vice Chairman, Benjamin Ojetu.

‎Etsako West local government  is the home of the APC state chairman, Jarrett Tenebe,  Chief of Staff to the Governor, Gani Audu and the former Governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomole.

‎Political observers described the drama at the local government a threat to democracy taken too far.

‎Reacting, Leader of the Etsako West legislative arm, Abdul Yamah, in a condemned the unlawful invasion of the council legislative chamber, denouncing the individuals as “hirelings and thugs.”

He asserted that their actions represent a profound violation of the integrity of the chamber.

‎Yamah declared: “This blatant and intentional assault on our institution is a severe affront to democracy, a flagrant mockery of the rule of law, and a direct attack on the sanctity of the legislative process.”

‎He further emphasized:”The premeditated execution of this illegitimate and sham impeachment process against the Executive Chairman of Etsako West local government, Hon. Marvellous Zibiri, epitomizes extreme political desperation and lawlessness. This is a clear and blatant attempt to undermine the will of the people by utilizing non-state actors to destabilize our duly constituted legislative body.”

Similarly at Oredo local government, a set of urchins disguised as councillors, claimed to have removed the council chairman, Dr. Tom Obaseki.

It was gathered that the perpetrators were not even up to the number required to impeach the chairman talk let alone  being elected councillors of the local government.

This ugly scenario prompted Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to raise concern on the brewing dictatorship in the state, alleging that people who were never elected as councilors now claimed to have impeached chairmen of councils, describing the scenario as a precursor to dictatorship in the state.

Addressing journalists at the state secretariat of the party, the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the party, Hon Tony Aziegbemi, called on traditional rulers, opinion leaders and security agencies to intervene and save democracy. 

“We are drawing the attention of Nigerians and Edolites because of what happened in Oredo Local Government Area this morning (Friday) where  people not known and not elected purportedly impeach elected  government officials,” he said.

 Aziegbemi said: “We are asking, what is going on in Edo? How can under this governor, how can he allow impostors to say that they have driven away the elected people in the council.

“People that didn’t contest elections, people that don’t have certificate of returns, they will just gather in one room and say they have impeached the leader of the house, they have impeached the council Chairman, and everyone is quiet? 

“We have said this before our traditional rulers, our opinion molders, our religious leaders in Edo State. They are letting down Edo people. If they imagine that this is about politics, that we should leave politicians to do what they do, it will get to a point where this sky will fall on everybody’s head.

“So, we have deemed it necessary to invite you to have this emergency press conference and to call the attention of the President, the IGP, the DG SSS, to what is happening in Edo State this morning. And we’re urging them, very urgently for that matter, to please take this issue very seriously and deal with it now that they can still deal with it.”