Massive protest on Thursday rocked Afuze, headquarters of 0wan East local government over the suspension of two Councillors.
The two councillors suspended for alleged gross misconduct are Francis Otilebo representing Ward two and Aminu Kadiri representing Ward three.
Members of Ward two and three, who took to the streets of Afuze to protest the suspension, said the councillors were suspended because they are in support of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
They accused the council chairman, Andrew Osigwe, of intimidating their elected representatives.
Commercial bus drivers under the auspices of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) joined in the protest for forcing them out of their park.
The drivers said they no longer have parks for their operations.
Spokesman for the drivers, Musa Jimoh, said they were surprised to receive a letter from the council asking them to leave their motor-park without provision for alternative place.
Jimoh said the protest was to draw the state government attention to their plight.
The protesting members of Ward two and three said their suspended councillors have been targeted since they openly declared support for Obaseki second term bid.
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They appealed to the Governor Obaseki to prevail on the council boss to recall their councillors.
Chairman of the council, who spoke through the Secretary to Local Government, Mr. Godwin Imoudu, said the drivers were operating in front of the Oba’s palace.
Imoudu described the protesters as disgruntled politicians who left the APC to secure political benefits in other political parties but now want to come back through the back door.
He said the councillors were suspended during plenary without the knowledge of the chairman.
His words: “Please this blackmail must stop. We are not at war. The Chairman and his team is 100% behind Obaseki and Shaibu and has demonstrated this and will continue to pursue the Obaseki – Shuaibu agenda.
“The Chairman and his team will not give in to cheap blackmail and propaganda from those that are being used by some disgraced and disgruntled politicians to launch back into APC.
“We want to advise all elected and appointed political office holders to refrain from heating up the polity and political environment in Owan East that has generally been peaceful.”
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