“Stop blackmailing Governor Okpebholo over impeachment”, Mayaki warns
The Chairman of the Edo State Media and Publicity Directorate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 election, Mr. John Mayaki, has warned against attempts to blackmail the governor of Edo state, Senator Monday Okpebholo over the impeachment of council chairmen by councilors.
Mayaki said just as the president of the country cannot impeach the governor, so also, the governor cannot impeach council chairmen in the state. Blackmailers need to know this and learn how democracy works.
Mayaki who was reacting to calls on the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the Edo State Governor to order over the impeachment of council chairmen in the state by councilors said, “no state governor has the constitutional authority to impeach a local government chairman, just as the President lacks the authority to impeach a governor.
He said, “local governments operate as separate tiers of government, and their leaders are accountable to their councils, not the state governor. Therefore, those blackmailing the governor for allegedly being responsible for the impeachment of council chairmen are merely showcasing their ignorance.
“The power to impeach lies solely with the legislative arms at each level of the government. Just as the National Assembly has the authority to impeach a President, and a State House of Assembly can impeach a Governor, councilors are empowered to impeach a local government chairman. This is a constitutional process that must be respected”.
Mayaki who criticized those calling on the President to intervene by “calling the governor to order”, said such actions amount to blackmail and a distortion of democratic principles. I think councilors should be allowed to carry out their legislative functions without interference or intimidation.
“If councilors decide to impeach their chairmen, it is within their legal right to do so. The governor has no constitutional role in such matters, and any suggestion otherwise is a deliberate misrepresentation of the law or deliberate blackmail”.