Benue State Governor suspend all 23 local government chairmen and their councillors

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, on Friday, suspended all 23 local government chairmen and their councillors.

Permanent Secretary of the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ode Ochelle, stated this in a letter dated June 23, 2023, and directed to all the 23 local government chairmen and leaders of the 23 house.

The State House of Assembly had on Wednesday recommended to the governor to suspend chairmen and legislative arms of the 23 local governments of the state.

The house during its session resolved that the governor should suspend the executive and legislative arms of the third tier of government in the state.

“In order to conduct the review without any interference, the committee recommends the immediate suspension of Executive Council Chairmen in all the 23 local government councils and also the legislative councils for conniving with the Executive Councils to mismanage public funds put in their trust,” the House said. 

The letter read in parts, “Sequel to the approval of the Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, on the resolution of the Benue House of Assembly suspending you and all council members from office as contained in a letter from the office to the Secretary to the State Government, ref no CAB/BS/SSG/ADM/35/T/XX dated 23, June 2023.

“You are hereby directed to proceed on an indefinite suspension with immediate effect.”

The letter directed all the chairmen to hand over all government properties in their possession to the Director of General Service and Administration and clerks of the legislative council respectively.