NewStats: 3,261,915 , 8,175,545 topics. Date: Saturday, 31 May 2025 at 02:45 AM 3w2o16

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, the Edo House of Assembly and other parties in a suit filed by the 18 suspended local government chairpersons in the state to maintain the status quo.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling, gave the order after counsel to the plaintiffs, Anderson Asemota, moved a motion ex-parte to the effect.

Earlier, Mr Asemota, while moving the motion, told the court that the plaintiffs, who are local council chairpersons, were suspended by the Edo assembly and their resolution transmitted to Governor Okpebholo.

The lawyer said the motion sought an order directing the parties in the suit to maintain the status quo as of 15 December 2024.

He based his argument on the grounds that the Supreme Court in July 2024 held that state governors had no power to suspend elected local government chairperson.

He alleged that the chairpersons’ suspension stemmed from their disagreement with the governor to operate a t against the Supreme Court decision.

Mr Asemota submitted that the plaintiffs approached the court to exercise their rights as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution, not to resort to self-help.

He said they were asking for the court to make an order of status quo from 15 December 2024 and for the governor not to give effect to the assembly’s resolution.

[/b]“Extreme urgency is required, my lord,” he said.[b]

He told the court that the order suspending the 18 chairpersons was made on 17 December 2024.
The lawyer said the Supreme Court judgement, the Edo State High Court order restraining the defendants from going ahead with the act and an interview granted by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, regarding the suspension, were all exhibited in the motion.

Mr Asemota, who said that Section 2(1) of the Constitution confers the power on the court to make the order, prayed the court to grant their reliefs.

Justice Nwite, who said extreme carefulness needed to be exercised in granting the reliefs, said: “I will only make an order for parties to maintain a status quo pending the hearing and the determination of the substantive suit.”

Ruling, the judge said: “After listening to counsel to the applicants and going through the affidavit evidence, including the written address, I hereby make an order that parties should maintain a status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

The matter was subsequently adjourned until 20 January for a hearing of the substantive suit.

Background

The aggrieved 18 council chairpersons and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had filed the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1952/V/2024.

In the motion dated 20 December 2024, but filed on 24 December 2024, the chairpersons and the PDP sued the Speaker, Edo House of Assembly; Edo House of Assembly; Governor of Edo State; Government of Edo State as 1st to 4th defendant.

Also ed in the suit include the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State; Attorney-General of the Federation and Inspector-General of Police as 5th to 7th defendants, respectively.

They sought an order of interim injunction compelling or directing the 1st to 5th defendants, their servants, agents, privies, any person, institution or successors, howsoever called, acting or purporting to act on their behalf to maintain status quo ante bellum, as of 15 December 2024, pending the determination of the substantive suit, filed contemporaneously with this application.

They sought an order of interim injunction restraining the 3rd to 5th defendants, their servants, agents, and privies from further acting on the assembly’s resolution, suspending the plaintiffs and their deputies pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit filed contemporaneously with this application.

https://www.timesng.com/news/top-news/765412-lga-chairpersons-suspension-court-orders-okpebholo-edo-assembly-to-maintain-status-quo.html

Okpebholo be calming down, LG autonomy has come to stay. Those Chairmen will decamp but dey take am jejely.


-Kiss the truth!

helinues:
Monday better calm down and don't be distracted unnecessarily

He cannot calm down

He will continue to be confused

E choke!

Monday better calm down and don't be distracted unnecessarily

Lawlessness people from rivers state will now tell the governor of Edo state to obey court orders

How will Monday be calm when the head is rotten.

helinues:
Monday better calm down and don't be distracted unnecessarily

Urheaster:



How will Monday be calm when the head is rotten.

Why not respect yourself. Why are you always sounding incoherently on my mentions?

Must you be disgraced all the time?

yarimo:
Lawlessness people from rivers state will now tell the governor of Edo state to obey court orders

Nothing come out....

Makinde did it, others have done it so status quo is that those LG Chairmen are gone.

fergie001:
Nothing come out....

Makinde did it, others have done it so status quo is that those LG Chairmen are gone.

You obviously don’t know English…

HELLINUS 😜

Why are you Gay?

helinues:


Why not respect yourself. Why are you always sounding incoherently on my mentions?

Must you be disgraced all the time?

Why are you Gay?

Normal

helinues:


Why not respect yourself. Why are you always sounding incoherently on my mentions?

Must you be disgraced all the time?

u just Dey misbehave for nairaland. All over the thread.

ArewaNightmare:


Why are you Gay?

Is everything alright with you there?

Forumites:
u just Dey misbehave for nairaland. All over the thread.

Why not embrace some shame. Take a look at your own comments history yourself

https://nairaland.unblockandhide.com/forumites/posts

This ruling against the state assembly is late.
Defections and suspension by councilor is the new tactics Okpebolo is using.

TimeManager:


https://www.timesng.com/news/top-news/765412-lga-chairpersons-suspension-court-orders-okpebholo-edo-assembly-to-maintain-status-quo.html

It’s concerning to see the suspension of 18 local government chairpersons in Edo State under Governor Monday Okpebholo’s istration. It raises questions about the balance of power and adherence to constitutional principles. The Supreme Court has already clarified that governors lack the authority to suspend elected local government officials, so this move seems like a blatant disregard for the rule of law.

helinues:


Why not embrace some shame. Take a look at your own comments history yourself

https://nairaland.unblockandhide.com/forumites/posts

get out!

helinues:


Is everything alright with you there?

Why are you gay 🙏🏼


Simple question

ArewaNightmare:



Why are you gay 🙏🏼


Simple question

Sebi if I report you now, you will go and sit down somewhere

fergie001:
Nothing come out....

Makinde did it, others have done it so status quo is that those LG Chairmen are gone.

Too late however. Most of them have been impeached already

Bobloco:


He cannot calm down

He will continue to be confused

Daft Governor daft decisions.

vowiski:


You obviously don’t know English…

Very far from him

This reportage is not clear.
Does it mean the judge gave the order maintaining status quo as at the said date or the order is to maintain the current status quo?
The governor can easily get a favourable ruling from his state high court of coordinate jurisdiction

Is the FG not paying to the LGAs directly? No governor has the power to suspend LGA chairmen. An issue that has been decided by the Supreme Court, but because of the useless and power-hungry nature of Nigerian governors, here we are again. This is simply a waste of time, energy, and resources, while depriving the people of good governance. The FG needs to come down hard on these governors, since they won't obey court orders. The irony is that same governors run to the same court for help, when they disagree with an action taken by the FG and they usually expect the FG to abide by that decision.

Nigerian governors are hindering this country's development.

REALretep:
This reportage is not clear.
Does it mean the judge refused to give the order maintaining status quo as at the said date or the order is to maintain the current status quo?
The governor can easily get a favourable ruling from his state high court of coordinate jurisdiction

He refused. Don't mind some of these judges, since the NJC won't discipline them.

OK




Princess Faith Chukwu

Judgement actually different from real life Between the State and LGA. Men mount everywhere, clerk of the House japka.

puppet govnor of a thousand bloodsucking godfadas!

It must never be well with all d useless APC demonic urchintos ing dis rubbish!