The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Oyo state chapter, Sunday cautioned Governor Seyi Makinde on reported plans to appoint caretaker chairmen for the 33 local government areas in the state.
ALGON in a statement issued by its chairman, Prince Ayodeji Abass – Aleshinloye, said any appointment of caretaker chairmen for the local governments could be an invitation to anarchy.
According to the association, “Any attempt as being contemplated by Governor Makinde to impose caretaker arrangement on all the local governments in the state against series of court judgements which his administration has appealed to, shall be vehemently rejected as this may heat up the polity and eventually lead to a state of emergency.”
Specifically, ALGON reminded Governor Makinde of the subsisting judgments of the Supreme Court that declared as illegal, null and void, any dissolution of elected local government councils by state governors and state assemblies, saying the governor “is fully aware of this and the specific judgement of the Oyo state High Court, which re-emphasised same and restrained the Oyo state governor and House of Assembly from dissolving local governments.”
The statement pointed out that “the aftermath of this may not be palatable, as his continual and flagrant disobedience to the court judgements may not only lead to the outbreak of laws and orders”, it said, “it is advisable at this juncture, that the governor gives due regards to the rule of law to which he has sworn to uphold by towing a path of constitutionality in order to forestall a state of anarchy.”
ALGON also described the plan as ‘tales by moonlight on grassroots democratic governance’, saying, the governor’s plan “is a tale better told to the un-informed and co-deceptive wreckers of the democratic culture.”
It said, “democracy is a seed that germinates and develops on the practice and strict adherence to the rule of law and a willingness to entrench the democratic culture by its proponents.”
“So far, Governor Makinde’s undemocratic disposition and flagrant disobedience, with impunity of court orders by illegally dissolving constitutional bodies, elected democratic local government structures, breaches of contractual obligation in Oyo clearly shows despotic government. Perhaps the governor may want democracy but it appears his spirit is too weak to take the necessary courageous steps to be on the right path for its evolution.”
