Sacked Oyo LG chairmen defy Makinde’s order, vow to remain in office

Local Government (LGAs) and Local Council Development Authorities (LCDAs) chairmen under the aegis of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo state chapter have opposed their sack by Governor Seyi Makinde.

The governor had shortly after his inauguration, sacked all local government chairmen across the 33 councils and 35 Local Council Development Authorities (LCDAs) LCDAs with immediate effect.

He ordered them to handover to the head of local government administration or senior directors in their local government areas and councils.

However, the chairmen in reaction said they remained the democratically-elected chairmen and still report to offices as such.

While addressing newsmen on Thursday in the state, the chairmen noted that there is a subsisting valid court order, which prohibited the governor or even the House of Assembly from dissolving elected local council authorities in the state.

READ ALSO: Oyo Gov Makinde sacks all LG, Board chairmen

Oyo Chairman of ALGON, Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, who spoke on behalf of the chairmen, described the dissolution of the local council authorities by the Governor as unconstitutional and a violation of a subsisting court order.

He vowed the chairmen will continue to resume to their various offices and continue acting in their capacities as democratically elected by their constituents.

Abass-Aleshinloye said: “ALGON, Oyo State rejects unconstitutional act of Mr. Governor. It is illegal, undemocratic, violation of rule of law and contempt of a subsisting court injunction against any dissolution of the Local Government as ordered by Justice A.A. Aderemi of High Court 2, Ibadan, Oyo State, on May 6, 2019.

“The Governor’s action is a crude breach of the right of our people to be democratically governed at local government level as the third tier of government as copiously stated in section 7(1) of the 1999 constitution as amended.

“Under no law can a state Governor make a declaration, proclamation or directive to summarily dissolve elected local government council or any elected organ of governance created by the constitution.

“We hereby appeal to all the duly elected chairmen of local government and local council development areas, councilors and citizens in these respective councils to remain calm and be peaceful in the face of this provocation and assault on constitutional democracy.”

Lawyer to the association, Barrister Kunle Sobaloju, said the action of the governor is null and void because there is a valid court judgment that has not been vacated, adding that until they challenge the judgment, the dissolution order is of no consequence.

Sobaloju vowed to resist by lawful means any one that want to stop the chairmen and councillors from performing their constitutional roles.

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