IBADAN –
The Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde on Sunday has dismissed the allegation by Association of Local Governments (ALGON) in Oyo State of plans to inaugurate caretaker committees for the 33 local governments and 35 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), saying the group is only seeking for relevance.
Reacting through his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, Makinde stated that “it is a funny allegation that is aimed at keeping their name in the news.”
The Governor equally advised the group to focus on the case they claimed to have filed in court “and leave the government to its service of the people.”
Restating the commitment of his administration, Governor Makinde stated that “the government will not be distracted by their antics.”
Meanwhile, the statement issued on Sunday by ALGON Chairman, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, described the alleged plan as “a panicky step to prempt the possibility of losing its appeal against the high court judgement perpetually restraining it from dissolving the local government.”
It added that the move was tantamount to “executive rascality, an affront on the Judiciary and the rule of law by the new administration that is desperate to return Oyo State to the old way of lawlessness and ‘pankere’ politics of settling constitutional matters by political thuggery.
“This is impunity and a resort to self help which would not be tolerated. It will be recalled that our case of contempt of court against the government was adjourned to July 30th, 2019 by Justice Ladiran Akintola of High Court 9, Ibadan with his Lordship’s order that the parties to maintain the status quo ante.
“It is a grave development to find that while other states are moving on to developmental politics and agenda for their people, our own state government in Oyo continue to retrogress into illegality, recklessness and lawlessness, yet it is a government that was sworn in to defend the constitution it now tramples upon with impunity.”
