Burutu Legislative Crisis Worsens: Council Chairman Seals Off Legislative Chambers, Complex

•New house leadership threatens legal action

By Monday Peters, Abuja

The Burutu Local Government legislative crisis has taken a dramatic turn as the council chairman, Hon. Julius Takeme, ordered security agents to seal off the legislative chambers and complex. This move comes after the new leadership of the House refused to back down, sparking a standoff between the two arms of government.

The crisis began with the impeachment of the suspended leadership of the House, which the new leadership, led by Hon. Barr Martin Zimugha and Hon. Clement Wagha as Chief Whip refused to recognize. Despite efforts to resolve the issue, the new leadership remained resolute, leading to the council chairman’s drastic action.

The new leadership has vowed to take legal action against the council chairman, accusing him of attempting to annex the legislative arm and undermine its autonomy. They argue that the chairman’s actions were a clear breach of the separation of powers and the Constitution.

The council chairman’s decision to seal off the legislative complex has been met with resistance from the new leadership, who see it as an attempt to intimidate and control the legislative arm. The chairman’s actions have raised concerns about the rule of law and the respect for the separation of powers in the local government.

The new leadership has warned that they will not hesitate to take legal action against the council chairman if he continues to interfere with the legislative arm’s activities. They argued that the chairman’s actions are unconstitutional and will not be tolerated.

The standoff between the two arms of government has raised concerns about the ability of the local government to function effectively and serve the needs of its citizens.

The Burutu legislative crisis is a complex issue that requires careful consideration and resolution. The new leadership’s threat of legal action and the council chairman’s refusal to back down have created a volatile situation that could have far-reaching consequences for the local government.

However, the impeachment notice which was served on the suspended leadership of the legislative arm led by Hon. Ekereke Bibobra Odafe on 11th August, 2025, cited allegations of gross misconduct, including embezzlement and misappropriation of House funds, high-handedness, abuse of office, and incompetence.

According to the new leadership, the impeachment was endorsed by 14 members of the house, out of the 20 lawmakers.

However, efforts to reach out to the council chairman for comments was not fruitful as he refused to respond to a call from our Abuja correspondent.