Crisis looms in Oyo over threat by sacked council bosses to resume office

Crisis is currently looming in some parts of Oyo State over
the order by the Association of Local Government of Nigeria
(ALGON), Oyo State chapter that the sacked council bosses
should resume their offices tomorrow (Wednesday).
DAILY POST recalls that all the elected council chairmen
who were elected during the administration of the
immediate past Governor of the state, Mr. Abiola Ajimobi,
have been sacked by the incumbent Governor, Mr. Seyi
Makinde.
It was gathered that Makinde had forwarded list of
caretaker committee members in all the 33 local
government areas and administrators for the 35 local
council development areas to the state House of Assembly
for screening.
But, Chairman of ALGON, Mr. Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye,
has directed all the Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen, councillors
and all political appointees who were elected during the last
administration in the state to resume in their respective
offices tomorrow.
He added that the directive is in compliance with the
judgement of Oyo State High Court dated the 6th May, 2018
and the subsisting judgement of the Supreme Court of
Nigeria, which guaranteed the tenure of office of
democratically elected local government councils.
Abass-Aleshinloye in the statement said, “All the
democratically elected Executive Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen,
Councillors and the political appointees are hereby directed
to resume back to their respective Councils tomorrow, the
18th Dec, 2019.
“This directive is in compliance with the Judgement of Oyo
State High Court dated the 6th May, 2018 and the subsisting
judgement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which
guaranteed the tenure of office of democratically elected
local government councils. We must protect the rule of law
from been desecrated. ALGON Oyo State’s Response to Gov.
Seyi Makinde’s illegitimate Proposed Inauguration of Local
Government Caretaker Committees in Oyo State.
“Despite his assurance less than 72 hours ago, that he would
not disobey Supreme Court judgements on the illegality in
Nigeria of any Caretaker Committee, a contraption unknown
to law, Governor Makinde has finally eaten his words and
dignity to breach the constitution and flout the judgements
of the highest court in the land by setting up Caretaker
Committees and Sole Administrators in all the local
government councils and council development areas in the
state.
“It is now clear that Governor Seyi Makinde, the Oyo State
House of Assembly and the Attorney General of Oyo state,
Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo have declared war on our constitution,
and drawn a battle line with the Supreme Court and the
Judiciary as a whole by disregarding all the Judgements of
the Supreme Court, and the Oyo State High Court which
declared Caretaker Chairmen over Local Governments an
illegality to our Constitution, and forbade the Governor from
removing Elected Local Government Chairmen via
unconstitutional dissolution of councils.
“Inspite of the several judgments of the Supreme Court in 2
recently decided cases declaring Caretaker Chairmen ilegal
and barred such action despite the judgment of Hon. Justice
A.A. Aderemi of the Oyo State High Court restraining the
removal of Elected Local Government Chairmen, injunction
perpetually restraining the Governor of Oyo state from
appointing Caretaker Chairmen over local governments in
Oyo State and voiding the unconstitutional practice in the
state, the Oyo State House of Assembly yesterday at a
secret session held 6pm at the House chamber hurriedly
conducted the screening of 68 nominees forwarded by the
Governor to the House for appointment as Caretaker
Chairmen over the LGs and LCDAs in Oyo state.
“This was in defiance of direct warning letters issued by
Lead Counsel to ALGON, Oyo state, and the elected Local
Government Chairmen validly elected in May 2018, Adekunle
Sobaloju Esq, which were served on the Attorney General, a
professor of law from University of Lagos, Professor
Oyelowo Oyewo, as well as on the Speaker of the house of
Assembly, and on Governor Makinde. The Government of
Oyo state is now operating on blatant unconstitutional over-
drive, despising direct court pronouncements, even from the
apex court. All interventions by well meaning persons and
institutions to make the government see reason that its
actions are not only illegal but calculated to precipitate
trouble in our state have been rebuffed.
“This atrocious step in illegality was hurriedly taken by the
governor despite a perpetual order/judgement of an Oyo
State High Court forbidden the dissolution of the existing
democratically elected local government administration in
the state which appeal by the Oyo State government is still
pending. Mr. Governor’s attempt to appoint people to invade
the council secretariats in the state and occupy positions
that are not vacant by law is crisis ridden and a hidden
agenda to cause violence in our state and disrupt the
existing peace he inherited. This Invasion by Makinde’s
unelected invaders and pretenders to office will be stopped
and must be resisted by all democratic and peaceful means
necessary.
“In line with our (ALGON, Oyo State) resolution to defend
democracy and the mandate freely and fairly given to us by
the electorate, all Chairmen, Councilors, Supervisors are
hereby directed to resume tomorrow, Wednesday, 18th
December, 2019 at their duty posts in Local Government and
Local Government Development Areas Secretariats by 8:00
am.
We shall resume and defend democracy and rule of law
peacefully.
“We advise the Local government employees including
HLAs, DAGs, DFAs, and other Council employees not to
allow the illegal caretaker appointees or the state
government to implicate them in the illegal administration
and operations plotted for our local councils. We urge you
not to allow yourselves to be used by these political
usurpers to spend by proxy, statutory funds of councils
which our laws, and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit
(NFIU) have forbidden caretakers from accessing.
“A Monitoring committee will be on ground to enhance
coordination and effective engagement for the next one
month. Thank you the good and democracy loving people of
Oyo State for your continuous support and understanding.
Together, we shall defend democracy, rule of law, popular
participation and good governance in our pacesetter state.
Thank you.”