Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, has again wielded thebig stick on the suspension of the Executive Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Patrick Aguinede, from office.

Aguinede becomes the third Council Chairman to be suspended from office within the last three months.

The State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Monday Osaigbovo, who announced the suspension of Aguinede, noted that Governor Obaseki has always warned Council Chairmen against any form of corrupt practices.

He said Aguinede was suspended for a period of two months to allow investigation into allegations made against him.

He said one of the allegations was that an estate agent petitioned Aguinede that he bought a house for him for N30 million and Aguinede refused to pay his agency fees.

Osaigbovo said Aguinede was alleged not to have remitted complete money collected as Internally Generated Revenue.

According to the Commissioner, “The statistics he gave as the number of tricycles and motorcycles operating in Esan West is 3000.

“If he collected N150 frim each if them, that amounts to N9 million monthly, but Aguinede was remitting only N4.5 million.

“The Governor always warned us that anybody caught would not only be sacked but be prosecuted.”

Responding to the suspension, Aguinede said he has accepted it in good faith.

He said the issue of buying a house for N30 million was not a government matter because he has been in money as far back as 1988.

He assured that he will appear before any panel set up to investigate the allegations.