No going back on LG chairmen�s probe � Benue gov

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth� Alia, says the suspension order slammed on chairmen and their councillors in the 23 local government areas of the state stands despite a threat by the chairmen not to vacate their offices.

In a statement on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, the governor said it was shocking that the suspended council chairmen were acting as if they had �political immunity�.

The governor denied knowledge of the court� judgment, stopping the suspension, which the council has been brandishing.

Recall that the Benue State House of Assembly had last week recommended the suspension of the 23 council chairmen, saying the move would allow for a probe into their activities.

But reacting to their suspension on Saturday, the council chairmen trashed the suspension, saying they would be in their offices on Monday.

The Chairman, Association of Local Government, Mike Uba, while speaking with journalists at the Peoples Democratic Party secretariat in Makurdi, described the suspension as illegal, saying the council chairmen would not heed the directive.

However, reacting to the threat by the council chairmen, the governor, in the statement by his� CPS, maintained that the council chairmen remained suspended, explaining that the development was based on the resolution of the House of Assembly.

He stressed that they were only suspended, not sacked, to pave the way for a seamless investigation.

�The governor is a man who obeys the law; he will never do anything to breach a court order. So, even if there exists a court order not to sack council chairmen,� at least there is none barring anyone from investigating them.

�But are they really insulated from appropriate sanctions by the extant constitutional provisions? They should come to equity with clean hands,� the governor said.

He queried further that, �Perhaps, they may have been misled into assuming that they are entitled to political immunity as �elected� council chairmen.�

He urged the council chairmen to be patient, promising that they would be afforded the opportunity to defend themselves before the House of Assembly committee, stating that those not found guilty at the end of the probe will be reinstated.