Dissolution: Ondo council chairmen, state government on collision course

The 18 Local government chairmen in Ondo state and their councillors are on a collision course with the state government over their sack.

The chairmen, have refused to vacate office after the state government dissolved them following the constitutional expiration of their tenure on August 30, this month.

Recall that the Acting governor, Hon Lucky Ayedatiwa, in a statement, announced the dissolution of the 18 council chairmen across the state.

Aiyedatiwa through, his Chief Press Secretary, Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, asked the chairmen and their councillors to vacate their offices.

They were directed to hand over the administration of the councils to the Heads of Local Government Administration in their councils.

The statement reads “The constitutional tenure of the elected Chairmen and Councillors of Local Governments in Ondo State ends today, 30th August 2023.

”This implies that all Chairmen and Councillors would vacate their respective offices accordingly and hand over the administration of the Local Governments.

“Pursuant to the foregoing and in order not to allow for vacuum, the Acting Governor of Ondo State, Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has directed the Heads of Local Government Administration in the eighteen (18) Local Governments across the State to take charge of the administration of the Local Governments forthwith, pending further directives from the State Government.

"The outgoing officials are also enjoined to handover properly.

But, the State House of Assembly at the parliamentary meeting of it’s members, said it has received “a brief of an unsubstantial compliance with the Executive directive of the state government by the ex chairmen whose tenure of office had already elapsed.

The Chairman, House committee on information, Hon.Olatunji Oshati Emmanuel, said that the chairmen have refused to vacate office after the August 30, dissolution by the state government.

Emmanuel noted that the sacked chairmen, have not handed over the administration of their respective local govt to Head of Local Government Adminstration (HOLGA) of the respective Local Government Areas, as directed by the state government.

He pointed out that this has “created an undue, needless and unnecessary vacuum across the 18 Local Government Areas.

The chairman, said that the assembly has therefore resolved that ” the ertswhile Local Government Chairmen, should forthwith Handover fully, to the Head of Local Government Adminstration (HOLGA) of their respective Local Government Areas, without any further delay.

“That any further delay in compliance with this state government’s directive by the ex chairmen, will be taken as a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the state Government.

”This shall be viewed as an aberation to the constitution and a gross insubordination to the authority of the government, which the state House of Assembly will treat as a grave infraction in all ramifications.

Emmanuel therefore directed the chairmen to do the needful without further delay.


FI