The suspension of the chairmen of all 18 local government councils in Edo State is the highlight so far of the new governor, Monday Okpebholo. It is a controversial stewardship for two reasons. It earns applause for facing corruption with righteous prejudice. Two, he is being accused of exercising a dictator’s powers for firing the chairmen against the law and in collaboration with the State House of Assembly.

Not a few Nigerians agree with him that he has exposed the local government chairmen, and also his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for running a fetid era in Edo State, especially with regard to managing the funds in such a way that foments a chasm of shame between what they received and spent on the one hand and the squalor and neglect in the local government domains.

Yet, there is no wrong way to do the right thing. He falls in danger of replicating the error of the former governor who retained a wrong and wrong-headed head count of lawmakers to govern the state during his time.

“Before Bola Tinubu’s administration, Edo State’s local governments were receiving N3.5bn monthly. Today, they receive over N8bn monthly. Yet, the 18 local government councils have nothing to show for the N83bn received in the last year,” the governor said.

“These chairmen had the audacity to withdraw N800m monthly from local government accounts while our schools lacked proper classrooms, teachers, and basic infrastructure. This misconduct is unacceptable,” Okpebholo added.

He told the story as though it were a work of dark comedy: “I picked interest in some of the spending because I saw an item which was tagged “Environmental security funding.” I have never heard of that before, and the amount involved was huge, N800m every month. These chairmen were contributing this money and giving it to the leaders of a party.

“I invited the chairmen but could not meet with them but my deputy met with them. He asked them to explain certain spending, but none could explain. He asked them to provide their books, and they agreed and said they would in 24 hours provide the books, but the deputy said no, let it be in 48 hours.

“But these chairmen didn’t obey the instructions for two weeks as none of them submitted their books. Following the development, I sent a letter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to look into their records.”

The last sentence was the province of his rights. The other action, of suspending the chairmen, stepped on their rights. We love his rage, and his ability to stop forthwith any act of further brigandage of the state’s coffers.

But the Supreme Court ruling is quite clear. And we agree with Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, in his response. “I am aware,” he said, “that since July 11 when the Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment, local government administration has taken a new turn, different from the old order.

“At any rate, we are still studying the situation but before final reaction, it must be stated categorically and emphatically that for now, local government chairmen can only be removed through the legislative arm of the local government itself and not the State House of Assembly.”

That is the state of the law, and the Edo State governor should seek the advice of his lawyers to do the right thing. By writing a letter to the EFCC, he has followed the proper channel for redress. But by sacking them, he has taken the law into his own hands.

There is a right way to fight corruption, and there is a wrong way to obey the law. Governor Okpebholo has his heart in the right place. He needs to put his acts there, too. (The Nation Editorial)