Benue State House of Assembly on Wednesday slammed three local government council chairmen with three months suspension each on alleged gross misconduct, financial misappropriation and other offences contrary to the local government law (2007) of the state as amended.
Daily Trust reports that the affected chairmen included those of Ogbadibo LGA, James Akola and his deputy; Gwer East LGA, Vitalis Uhar and Vandeikya LGA, Dennis Akura.
It was gathered that the suspension of the chairmen followed an earlier letter written to the assembly by Governor Samuel Ortom, which requested for the approval of members for their suspension after investigation on allegations levelled against them.
Consequently, the legislators deliberated on the matter and resolved after a long debate today to suspend the three chairmen from office while the House unanimously warned their colleagues to work for the benefit of their people or resign if they feel otherwise as the law would always catch up with anyone found wanting.
The lawmakers had decried the rate at which council chairmen spend money that are not appropriated for, pointing out that between January and March, this year most of the chairmen spent funds that were not appropriated and captured in the budget contrary to the law.
Speaker of the House, Titus Uba, told newsmen shortly after the sitting that the assembly would not condone corruption neither impunity as displayed by the affected chairmen just as he dispelled rumours that the chairmen were been victimised for refusing to follow the governor to defect to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
“This assembly will not condone corruption. We are here to fight corruption,” Uba stressed.
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