The Delta State House of Assembly has ratified the indefinite suspension on the Chairman, Ndokwa East Local Government Council, Mr Juan Governor, by the Legislative Arm of the Council.
The House ratified the indefinite suspension on the Council boss yesterday Tuesday on resumption of plenary after over six weeks inaction as a result of the scheduled Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and State Assembly elections, held 25 February and 18 March 2023.
The plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon Ochor Christopher Ochor, granted the request of the Ndokwa East Legislative Arm, in pursuant to the relevant provisions of section 31, sub section three and seven of the Delta State Local Government Law of 2018, as amended.
The letter conveying the suspension and read on the floor of the House, listed the offences of the embattled Council Chairman, as alleged by the Legislative Arm, to include financial misappropriation, refusal to submit monthly income and expenditure details to the Legislative Arm as required by law, leaking of official secrets, among other infractions.
Subsequently, the Deputy Speaker announced the constitution of a 5-man adhoc committee to investigate the suspended Council Chairman and report back in two weeks.
The committee is headed by the Chairman, Public Accounts Committee of the House, Hon Anthony Elekeokuri, with Hon Pat Ajudua, Oboro Preyor and Reuben Izeze as members, while the Deputy Clerk of the House, Barr Aghoghophia Otto, will serve as Secretary.
The House further mandated the Vice Chairman of Ndokwa East Council, Princess Odu-Bardi Josephine, to act as Chairman, pending the outcome of investigation.
It was gathered that fifteen out of the twenty Councillors in the Ndokwa East Legislative Arm sat last week and indefinitely suspended the Council Chairman, Mr Juan Governor, over alleged offense as read out by the Deputy Speaker.
The suspension was transmitted to the State Assembly for ratification, as required by the Delta State Local Government Law, 2018, as amended.
