LG Crisis: ‘Don’t set Oyo state ablaze’, Mogajis warn FG, Malami

The Council of Authentic Mogajis in Ibadanland has warned the federal government and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakah Malami to desist from any act that can set Oyo state ablaze.

The local government chairmen sacked by Governor Seyi Makinde under the aegis of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), had on Monday resumed in their offices following a judgment of the Supreme Court that governors, States House of Assembly cannot arbitrarily dissolve elected local government councils.

It would be recalled that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), had, in a recent letter to the Attorney General of Oyo State, demanded the reinstatement of the sacked local government chairmen and councillors.

Similarly, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, had in another letter, urged the sacked Chairmen through the ALGON and the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to liaise with the state Commissioner of Police for appropriate actions.

However, the family heads in a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Chief Wale Oladoja said the federal government should respect the 1999 constitution which empowers the governors to care for local government in their various states.

The Mogajis maintained that the Government’s position became imperative following the threats of violence by the sacked ‘illegal chairmen’ and the stay-at-home order issued to all local government workers in the State by the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).

According to the family heads, Oyo State has been peaceful and there is need for government to maintain the peaceful atmosphere in the state.

“We are amazed with the latest development on the issue of local government in our dear Oyo state. The federal government. We wondered when it becomes the role of the Anthoney General of Federation to determines who leads local government.

“It is imperative to note that we have 33 local government areas in Oyo state not 68 as election was held in those LCDAs which made the election null and void.

” We want president Buhari to caution his aides who are working hard to ensure that our nascent democracy is being truncated. We appeal to the president to make sure that the issue of local government in Oyo state does not lead to crisis as we are aware that many of the APC chairmen had forcefully took over their council.

“If anything happens to our sons and daughters who are working in our councils, the Attorney general would be hold responsible for given questionable order”, the statement reads.