The Edo State House of Assembly, the Speaker, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, and the 18 local government acting chairmen have filed a lawsuit against the embattled impeached chairmen at the State High Court. The originating summons, dated January 28, 2025, with Suit No: B/3405/2025, seeks declarations and orders regarding the suspension of the 18 local government council chairmen and their vice chairmen.

The claimants are seeking a declaration that the Edo State House of Assembly has the power to suspend a chairman and/or vice chairman of a local government council in Edo State, as provided in Section 20 (b) of the Local Government Law, 2000. They also seek a declaration that the suspension of the 18 local government chairmen and their vice chairmen has not obliterated the democratic structure/system of local government councils in Edo State.

Furthermore, the claimants are seeking declarations that the leader(s) of the legislative arms of the local government councils in Edo State are democratically elected members of the council and are entitled to act on behalf of the council in the absence of the chairman and vice chairman. They also seek an order directing the defendants to allow the claimants to access the funds due to the respective local government councils.

The defendants include the embattled impeached chairmen, the executive governor of Edo State, the government of Edo State, and other officials. The claimants are seeking an order of injunction restraining the defendants from interfering with the affairs, administration, management, and control of the local government councils.

The lawsuit is a significant development in the ongoing local government crisis in Edo State, which has been marked by tensions between the Edo State House of Assembly and the embattled impeached chairmen.