Dr. Tom Obaseki, the suspended Chairman of Oredo Local Government Council, alongside his Vice Chairman, Patricia Ero, were impeached on Friday by eight out of twelve councillors of the council.
According to The Nation, this decision marks another significant development in the ongoing political crisis across Edo State’s local governments.
Obaseki, Ero, and their council colleagues were elected in September 2023 for a three-year term.
However, their tenure was abruptly cut short, reflecting similar crises in many other local councils in the state.
The impeachment follows a suspension order issued on December 17, 2024, by the Edo State House of Assembly, which temporarily removed all local government chairmen and their deputies from office for a period of two months.
The suspension order was prompted by a petition submitted by Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo, dated November 16, 2024.
The governor accused the local government chairmen, including Obaseki, of insubordination and gross misconduct, particularly for their refusal to submit financial records for scrutiny.
The petition called for decisive action by the House of Assembly, which acted swiftly to suspend the officials and transfer administrative responsibilities to legislative leaders.
