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Lawyer sues Aiyedatiwa over LG caretaker excos
A legal practitioner and human rights activist, Tope Temokun, has dragged the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, before the state high court in Akure over the governor’s decision to appoint caretakers committees to manage the local governments in the state instead of conducting LG elections.
The Chairman of the ODIEC, Dr Joseph Aremo, had earlier announced the indefinite postponement of the local government election, which was earlier scheduled to hold in July.
Aremo said the election was postponed on the grounds that no single political party complied with the guidelines of the proposed election, despite the issuance of guidelines for the election on schedule.
The suit had the state governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Mr Kayode Ajulo as well as the ODIEC as the first, second and third defendants respectively in the suit.
In the originating summons , the lawyer claimed that the provisions of Sections 1(1), (2) and (3) and Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended) and Section 1(1) the Local Government Administration, Conduct of Local Government Election, and Allied Matters Law, CAP 87, VOL.2, Laws of Ondo State, 2006, are being violated by the first defendant’s act of “appointing and/or constituting and/or inaugurating transition committees to oversee the affairs of the LGAs in the state.”
He said Aiyedatiwa’s action had deprived him of his right to vote in and have a democratically elected local government council in his local government area.
Temokun prayed the court to, among others, declare that by virtue of Sections 1(1), (2) and (3) and Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 1(1) the Local Government Administration, Conduct of Local Government Election, and Allied Matters Law, CAP 87, VOL.2, Laws of Ondo State, 2006, “the first defendant’s act of appointing and/or constituting and/or inaugurating any person or persons or committee, be it caretaker or transition committee, or by whatever name so-called, other than democratically elected LCDAs to govern or administer or oversee the affairs of the LGAs in Ondo State is illegal and unconstitutional.”
He sought an order of the court to direct and/or to proceed to conduct LG elections in the state to put in place democratically elected local government councils, “ to govern or administer or oversee the affairs of the local government areas in Ondo State, for the purpose of enforcing and giving effect to the orders of the Supreme Court.”
He also prayed the court for “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the first defendant ( Governor Aiyedatiwa) from further appointing and/or constituting and/or inaugurating any person or persons or committee, be it caretaker or transition committee, or by whatever name so called, other than democratically elected LG councils , to govern or administer or oversee the affairs of the local government areas in Ondo State.”
The Supreme Court recently granted financial autonomy to the local governments in the country, declaring that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations.
The court further declared that a state government has no power to appoint a caretaker committee and a local government council is only recognisable with a democratically elected government.
It was also reported that the Ondo State Government recently constituted transition committees for the newly created 33 Local Council Development Areas, a development that raised controversy in the state.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has began airlifting the sensitive election materials for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Benin, Edo State, ahead of the upcoming governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024.
This was disclosed on Wednesday by the Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Kabiru Ali.
The operation is part of the NAF’s efforts to ensure the timely and secure delivery of materials necessary for a smooth electoral process.
This development reinforces the collaboration between NAF and INEC to facilitate logistics and ensure a peaceful election in Edo State.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, had previously reiterated NAF’s commitment to providing airlift support for the swift movement of electoral materials during a meeting with INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
This airlift operation is a crucial aspect of NAF’s constitutional responsibility to provide Military Aid to Civil Authority, underscoring the force’s dedication to supporting democratic processes in Nigeria. With the election just days away, the NAF’s timely intervention will help ensure the successful conduct of the governorship elections in Edo State.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State had earlier accused the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, of working with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to hunt the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and supporters in the state and force them into hiding ahead of September 21 governorship election.
Obaseki, who made the allegation when a delegation led by the former Head of State, Abdusalam Abubakar, met with him to get the governor and his party to sign peace accord, said that the IGP had made nonsense of his (Obaseki’s) role as the chief security officer of the state.
The governor had said that the police chief obtained a warrant to arrest 60 members and supporters of PDP in Edo and that the IGP sent an armed “gang” of policemen who invaded the state, attacked PDP members, shot at a local government chairman and arrested 10 persons who are currently being detained in Abuja without charges.
Asked by the former head of state if his party would sign the peace accord, Obaseki said, “The person who is supposed to enforce the peace accord is now an active participant in creating a destructive environment.
“We are now in a situation where from the Inspector General’s office, there are armed gang policemen who came into Edo State, invaded, arrested and took away PDP members.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has given reasons why he loves dancing.
The ‘Dancing Governor’, as he is fondly called, revealed this on Wednesday while responding to a tweet on X.
An X user, @Iwogoke, while praising the governor, stated that Adeleke has been busy fulfilling his electoral promises to the people of Osun State, while his political opponents believe he is only good at dancing.
Iwogoke tweeted, “I’m not flattering you, Your Excellency, your opponents think you can only dance but while they are busy shouting and calling you ‘Dancing Governor’, you are busy fulfilling your electoral promises to the people.”
Responding to the tweet via his verified X account, Adeleke explained that he loves dancing because it brings him joy.
Speaking further on his love for dancing, Adeleke highlighted that while dancing brings him immense happiness, his greater fulfilment comes from delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Osun.
Outlining his administration’s efforts to enhance the state’s infrastructure, he noted that primary health centre rehabilitation is underway in at least 200 out of the 332 wards across Osun State, adding that road construction projects are also progressing in every local government area.
He wrote, “Dancing gives me joy, but delivering on my electoral promises and providing the dividends of democracy to the good people of Osun gives me even greater joy. Rehabilitation of primary health centers is ongoing in at least 200 out of 332 wards, and road construction is progressing in every Local Government!”
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