The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticized Governor Monday Okpebholo for allegedly withholding allocations meant for local government areas (LGAs) in the state, leaving primary school teachers, pensioners, healthcare workers, and other civil servants without their November salaries.

In a statement released by the Publicity Secretary of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, Chris Osa Nehikhare, the party expressed its concerns over the governor’s actions.

According to PDP, despite the Federal Government’s release of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds to all states last week, which included allocations for both state and local governments, Governor Okpebholo has failed to release the LGA share of the FAAC.

This has severely impacted the local government’s ability to pay their workers, including teachers, pensioners, and healthcare officers across the state.

The PDP lamented that Okpebholo’s continued interference in the affairs of local government councils, despite the constitutional provision for their autonomy, has left these councils unable to function effectively.

The party expressed regret that the ongoing conflict between Okpebholo and the council chairmen in Edo has resulted in the suffering of vulnerable workers.

The press release made available to Naija News on Wednesday read: “Despite the release of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations to all States by the Federal Government since last week, with State and Local Government allocations coming to the Edo State Governor-select, Monday Okpebholo, the governor-select has refused to release the local government share of the FAAC, hindering the effective administration of the councils.

“This decision by Okpebholo has resulted in the inability of the local government councils to pay the November salaries of primary school teachers, local council pensioners, and primary healthcare officers, among others across the State.

“It is unfortunate that the governor-select has continued to exercise unconstitutional control over the Local government councils, threatening to dissolve democratically elected local government officials, despite the efforts of the Federal Government to engender the independence of local governments across the country.

“Painfully, the situation in Edo has become a classic case of “when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers,” with the Okpebholo’s continued unprovoked war against the council chairmen in the State throwing vulnerable workers, including primary school teachers, local council pensioners, and primary healthcare officers, among others in the State into crisis.

“This gross insensitivity to the plight of the people is most disheartening and unacceptable, especially amid the current economic realities.

“We call on the Federal Government, the Attorney General of the Federation, and other relevant stakeholders to call Okpebholo to order, educate, and make him understand that local governments are autonomous according to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and should not be administered by State Governors.“