Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state on Friday explained the main reason he dissolved the local government chairmen and councillors in the 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 35 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.
Makinde, while noting that the council chairmen who were asked to vacate their offices with immediate effect are expected to challenge his decision in the court of law, maintained that they were dissolved because the local government election that was conducted by the immediate past Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, was against a subsisting court order.
We recall that the local government chairmen who were asked to leave the offices were elected during the election conducted by the State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) last year May.
The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State Chapter through its Chairman, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye has however kicked against the dissolution.
ALGON, in a statement obtained by our correspondent, described the action of the new Governor as illegal and unconstitutional.
But, the Chief of Staff to Governor Seyi Makinde, Chief Oyebisi Ilaka, while addressing journalists on the security situation in the State at the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s office, Secretariat, Ibadan, on Friday, remarked that the last local government administration in the state was put together in an election that was against a subsisting court order.
Ilaka, who spoke on behalf of Makinde, said, “I know people go about saying these Local government executives had gone to court to get an order, but we all know that it was an ‘arrangee’ judgment that was filed by the same people against the same side that did not oppose the application.
“They sourced for an order that was not opposed by the State or appealed by the State.”
Ilaka said the administration would right everything that had gone wrong in the state, saying that the intent of the administration was to obey the court order that is valid.
“We are waiting for them to challenge the decision of this administration, we have nothing to hide either. We have also directed all the Heads of local governments (HLAs) to take over the affairs of their respective council areas.”
Ilaka disclosed that a team of legal experts is working on the matter and was optimistic that the state government will have its way.
He assured the people of Oyo state that the new administration would adjust and right everything that have gone wrong in the last dispensation
