Residents of Etsako West Local Government of Edo State were at the Government House in Benin, the state capital, to sing and dance yesterday.
It was
at the swearing-in of Alasa Mohammed Idaro as the local government’s chairman.
They
arrived at the venue of the event with drums, but they ended up shedding tears
for and with the man they wanted to celebrate.
Governor
Adams Oshiomhole suspended Alasa few minutes after his swearing-in.
The
governor named Yesufu Busari Omomemi, who had been sworn in as the Vice Chairman,
to become the local government’s Acting Chairman.
Alasa
wept after his suspension. His supporters also joined him in weeping over his
travail.
The
former vice chairman was sworn in, following the death of former Chairman,
Hassan Kadiri, last Friday after a prolonged illness.
Before
Oshiomhole’s arrival, Alasa, who was dressed in a grey suit, sat under a tree,
surrounded by friends and well-wishers.
He was memorizing a handwritten vote of thanks speech.
It was
learnt that the former council vice chair was suspended because of his
activities when Kadiri was ill.
Hassan
died few hours after some youths protested at the local government’s
secretariat, demanding his removal over prolonged ill-health and Alasa was
fingered as the mastermind.
Oshiomhole
said a panel of enquiry would be set up to investigate the allegations against
Alasa.
The
governor, who said he performed the swearing-in with mixed feelings, added that
it was inhuman for anybody to organize a protest against somebody else on a
sick bed.
He
noted that what saddened him was the events and controversies that happened the
day Hassan died.
Oshiomhole
said the name of the suspended chairman had been mentioned by those arrested as
being the financier of the protest.
He
said: “Some disgruntled elements, whether they were masquerading as Students’
Union Government (SUG) officials or they were just touts and thugs, were hired
by some persons to organize a protest that was almost turning violent, such
that they had to bring in the police and even the army to restore peace in the
local government.
“I am
informed that the purpose of the protest was that Hassan, on his sick bed,
should be relieved of his duties as Chairman so that the Vice Chairman could
take over his job. I do not think human beings should play God.
“It is
absolutely unacceptable that anyone would be so desperate to instigate another
to protest against a man that was bedridden and admitted in the hospital,
fighting for his life.
“Our
jobs are worthless without life. All of us have our dates to depart this planet
Earth. So, for anyone to organize a protest against someone who was bedridden,
that he should be forced out of office so that another person would get
promotion, is unethical and absolutely unacceptable.
“To
publicly organize a protest against the sick, making unprintable statements,
disturbing public peace and mobilizing people to do things that are capable of
leading to riots with the possibility of even death, that, for me, is the height of irresponsibility. I do not think any civilized government will
condone that.
“Therefore,
in exercise of the powers vested in me as the Governor of Edo State under the
Local Government Amended Acts, where there are weighty allegations against
local government officers, I have the powers to carry out a thorough
investigation on those allegations. This is because we know for a fact that to
allege does not necessarily mean to prove. Allegations must be proven before
any further actions…”
The Nation
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