Suspended Plateau LG chairmen dare Gov Mutfwang, storm offices with security operatives

Local government chairmen in Plateau State, who were suspended by Governor Caleb Mutfwang on Friday defied the suspension order as many of them resumed duties in their respective council areas.

The governor had last week suspended the chairmen of the 17 local government areas alongside their councillors with immediate effect following recommendations by the state House of Assembly.

They were accused of financial impropriety by the state lawmakers, a development which prompted the governor to direct the embattled LG officials to hand over all government properties in their possession to the Directors of Personnel Management in their respective councils pending the conclusion of investigations.

But some of the council chairmen on Friday ignored the governor’s suspension order and resumed at their offices.

Among those who resumed was the Chairman of Jos North LGA, Bala Usman, who stormed his office with security operatives.

The Chairman of Shendam LGA and chairman of the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Alexander Naantuan, who later addressed a press conference on Friday vowed that his members would continue to perform their duties as the elected representatives of the people despite the suspension by the governor.

He accused the governor of violating a court injunction restraining him from removing them from office.

Naantuan said, “Our tenure of three years has not ended. We took oath of office as chairmen of our respective LGAs on October 11, 2021 after winning our LG elections conducted by the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission on October 10, 2021, rendering the life of our guaranteed and fixed 3-year tenure.”