SDP candidate, PDP, lawyer, knock Aiyedatiwa for recognising nullified LCDAs
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has received knocks for setting up of Transition Committees to preside over the affairs of the 18 local government areas and 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
The action of Aiyedatiwa is coming few weeks after an Ondo State High Court nullified creation of the 33 LCDAs by late former Akeredolu.
Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party in Ondo State, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye, who condemned the action, urged Aiyedatiwa not to commit any illegality by recognising what the court declared as illegal, null and void.
Otunba Akingboye said the action of Governor Aiyedatiwa was capable of plunging the state into needless crisis
Akingboye called for the dissolution of the board of Ondo Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) over inability to conduct local elections since 2023.
In a statement issued in Akure, the SDP candidate said his administration, if elected, would ensure local councils are catered for adequately.
Akingboye stated that his manifestos outlined how he would ensure local councils raised revenue and are administered by elected officials.
He commended Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling that the Federal Government withhold fund of local council not administered by elected officials.
According to the statement, “Respect for judicial pronouncement ensure peace and progress of the society. Today’s judgment by the Supreme Court is a victory for all lovers of democracy.
“The SDP is against the nullification of the LCDAs but it is proper the right thing is done instead of a transition committees for what the court has declared invalid.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa is a beneficiary of judicial pronouncement. He should obey the court and conduct election into local councils.
“The SDP is fully prepared to participate in the local elections.”
On its part, the Ondo Peoples Democratic Party, said Governor Aiyedatiwa disrespected the judiciary saying it was the height of lawlessness and impunity for Aiyedatiwa to appoint Committees for LCDAs that are non-existent in the eyes of the law.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ondo State Chapter wishes to advise the Governor to respect the laws of the land and stop embarrassing the people of the state with his actions that make us laughing stock in the comity of civilised people,” the statement reads.
A lawyer and human rights activist, Tope Temokun, said any other body, committee constituted to oversee the affairs of the local governments, other than democratically elected body was a nullity.
He said the actions of Aiyedatiwa conflicted with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Temokun, in a statement, said the setting up of a caretaker committee in disguise has been ‘notoriously condemned and rejected by the people and the court across state boundaries.’
He said the system of Local Government by democratically elected Local Government Councils was what the constitution recognised and guaranteed.
According to the statement, “Governor Aiyedatiwa owes the people many explanations on this new path of deliberate illegality he has chosen to toe and should address the people why he is building the new foundation of Ondo State government on a notorious illegality.
“He should tell the people if he had demanded explanations from the State Independent Electoral Commissions, ODIEC, why it is postponing elections into the local councils and he should tell us the answers he got. He should explain to the people of Ondo state if ODIECs postponement of election is not a charade, a scam and an arrangement to create a justification for this aberration.
“This is uncreative, very uncreative. Why resorting to a stale trick to govern people who are already wise?”
Hon Justice A.O Adebusuoye, had last month, ruled that the 33 LCDAs created by late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu was inchoate and unlawfully created.
The Court held that the Local Government Creation Law 2023 was unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.
