The Chairman of Egor Local Government Area in Edo State, Hon. Eghe Ogbemudia, has been impeached.
The impeachment followed a vote of no confidence against the chairman, citing alleged padding of the council’s supplementary budget and other corruption allegations.
The impeachment sitting, presided over by the Leader of the House and Councillor representing Ward 3, Godwin Uwadiae Edigin, began with a roll call of the legislative house. Shortly after, the Councillor representing Ward 2, Hon. Stella Osagioduwa Ogida, moved a motion for a no-confidence vote against the chairman. She cited gross misconduct, including the padding of the council’s supplementary budget to the tune of N1.7 billion without the involvement of councillors.
She said, “This is the 10th month since our inauguration and we, the Councillors of Egor Legislative Arm do not have our offices.
“We have also uncovered the padding of the council’s supplementary budget to the tune of N1.7 billion.
“The Chairman did not involve the councillors in the preparation and approval of the council’s supplementary budget.
“After reviewing these actions and many other acts of gross misconduct, I want to pass a vote of no confidence on the chairman.”
Seconding the motion, Hon. Ambassador Elliot Inneh, Councillor representing Ward 9, alleged that the Chairman had connived with the erstwhile Leader of the House to pad the budget, increasing it from N6.054 billion to N7.896 billion without the legislators’ knowledge or approval.
He said, “Before us today (Wednesday), we have a budget proposal amounting to N6.054bn that was passed through this hallowed chamber.
“To our greatest surprise, we found out that the Chairman in connivance with the erstwhile Leader of the House, went behind our back and padded the budget to the tune of N7.896bn.”
Following a voice vote, the majority of Councillors supported the motion, leading to a subsequent motion for impeachment, which was also passed.
