Gov Makinde and the dissolution of local council executives

With less than fifteen days of the Governor Seyi Makinde administration in Oyo state, there seems to be no dull moment in the state’s political arena. Agboola Bayo writes.

Dissolution of LG councils

Expectedly, some of the major decisions taken so far have engendered mixed reactions which currently trail the new administration. In fact, whereas some were praising the governor for such actions, pronouncement others held contrary view.

Among the celebrated pronouncements of Governor Seyi Makinde was the dissolution of local government and local council development authorities (LCDAS,) late Wednesday, May 29, few hours after he assumed office through a statement issued on his behalf by his Chief of Staff Chief Oyebisi IIlaka.

In the statement Governor Makinde ordered the council chairmen to hand over to their heads of local government administration (HLA) or the most senior director in their respective areas.

ALGON reacts

But, the Oyo state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) kicked against the dissolution order describing the dissolution of the local government councils and local council development area (LCDA) as “null, illegal and unconstitutional”

Oyo ALGON in the statement issued penultimate Thursday by its Chairman Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye pointed out that the dissolution “is against the injunction of a state high court which ruled against the dissolution of the councils. It vowed that the association would use democratic and constitutional avenues to fight the dissolution.

“It has come to the notice of ALGON Oyo state branch that the new governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has purportedly dissolved all democratically elected local government in the state.

“This, to say the least, is unconstitutionally unwise, unexpected and too hasty for a new government that is yet to find its feet. This illegality was reported in the news.

“ALGON Oyo rejects this unconstitutional act of Mr Governor. It is illegal and a contempt of a subsisting court injunction against any dissolution of the councils as ordered by Justice A. A. Aderemi of High Court 2, Ibadan, Oyo state, on May 6, 2019,” he said.

Prince Alesinloye added:”we wish to appeal to all duly elected local government chairmen, councillors, supervisors and Oyo state citizens in these respective councils to remain calm and be peaceful.

“ALGON will seek all democratic and constitutional means to correct this illegal act. All will be appropriately updated as events unfold. We count on your solidarity and maximum moral support in this democratic struggle.”

Not done, the ALGON through its chairman sustained in the campaign against what they described as an undemocratic act and an abused of the constitution.

In fact, while speaking on the dissolution two days later hinted that ALGON is to approach the court that gave the injunction to file contempt of court application against Governor Makinde for flouting the court order.

Prince Alesinloye insisted that he remained the Oyo state ALGON chairman and that the election of all the local government chairmen in the state still stand despite the governor’s order.

APC takes strong stand

The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) Oyo state chapter took a swipe at the governor’s action by describing the dissolution as reckless and coup against democracy.

He subsequently said it was unfortunate that ‘ the new governor started to breach the oath of office right from the venue of the swearing-in ceremony when he failed to condemn the activities of his supporters, who allegedly harassed innocent people and perceived opponents.”

The APC in a statement by its assistant publicity secretary, Prince Ayobami Adejumo, said “we, at the APC, had resolved to give him (Governor Makinde) the benefit of the doubt since he was declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the March 9, 2019 gubernatorial poll in the state while the court is yet to decide on the attendant petition before it, but events in the last 24 hours have suggested to us that there is fire on the mountain.

“How can one swear to an oath of allegiance to the constitution of the Federal Republic and then turn back few hours later to wage war against democracy at the grassroots? The decision to dissolve elected officials in all the local government councils across the state is not only misplaced but a gross violation of the nation’s constitution as well as a coup against constitutional democracy”.

The APC, which until the March 9 governorship election held swell, saw the dissolution of the council executives as a desperate act by the PDP administration to impose its men on the saddle of the local government councils.

APC added, “one would have expected Governor Makinde to resist pressure from his PDP members who are desperate for political office appointments at the third tier level as mere compensation and uphold the sanctity of the rule of law in view of the fact that the current council chiefs hold a valid three-year mandate from a popular election and in addition to that, there is a Supreme Court verdict which shields them from being sacked from office irrationally.

 “Rather than dissipate time and resources on unnecessary actions in order to satisfy the whims and caprices of some political hangers-on, it would be in the overall interest of the state for the governor to approach governance with caution and seek proper guidance from God and appropriate resource persons. The good people are better informed after the successful two terms of Senator Abiola Ajimobi and they deserve the best from his successors.”

AAC thumbs up for Makinde

 However, the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) Oyo state chapter in the March 9 election, Engineer Akinwale Laosun, supported the dissolution of the local government council executives saying it was within the purview of the governor to do so. He said based on the political dynamics of Nigeria, it would be unheard off for the governor to retain.

“It will be funny on the part of the sacked chairmen to still be expecting the new administration in the state to retain them more so that they are not of the same political party with the present ruling administration in Oyo state

So with the situation on ground, the ALGON chairman alleged that some suspected  PDP members have since last Friday been storming council secretariats across the state mandating the chairmen to vacate office in compliance with the state government directive.

Therefore, all eyes are now on the court as regards what interpretation that court would give to the sack order by Governor Seyi Makinde to the local government chairmen in Oyo state.

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