Oyo state chapter of the Association of Local Government Of Nigeria, ALGON on Thursday called on the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Shina Olukolu to advise the state government led by Engr Seyi Makinde to submit to the rule of law by obeying the recent supreme court judgement which barred all State Governors and House of Assemblies from dissolving democratically elected local government Chairmen and Councillors and replacing them with illegal Caretaker Committees.
It also stated that there was no step taken in respect of the current imbroglio between the ALGON and the State Government that does not followed due process of law, noting that none of these steps taken without the knowledge of the Police boss and the Oyo state command which he superintends as letters in respect of the imbroglio were at different times served his office.
The Commissioner of Police , Olukolu had on Wednesday condemned the call by ALGON, describing the action as a recipe for chaos, lawlessness and unwittingly encouraging disturbance of public peace, which he said will not be allowed by the Command.
Olukolu, in a statement signed by the command’s spokesman, Olugbenga Fadeyi, a Superintendent of Police in Ibadan admitted that all the executive chairmen, vice chairmen, councillors and political appointees have been dissolved by the current Oyo state government.
The statement entitled: ” Re- Oyo ALGON directs members to resume duties on 18th December , 2019 : An appeal for reason as against emotions “, came on the heels of heavy security beef up around local government councils across the state.
But, in a statement signed by the state ALGON gaffer, Prince Abass Ayodeji Aleshinloye in Ibadan, recalled, “our letter dated back 31st May, 2019 which was received on 3rd June, 2019 notifying you about the dissolution of Local Government Councils and Local Council Development Areas and even the threat to life that follows. Alongside this, copies of both the Supreme Court judgement which rendered both the Governor and the House of Assembly incapable to dissolve democratically elected Local Government Chairmen and Councillors and judgement of Court of Appeals which they later appeal were all sent to your office for perusal and actions. Equally, a letter dated 2nd December, 2019 and received in your office 3rd December, 2019 hinting you ahead of time about the plan of the Governor to impose an illegal Caretaker Committee to occupy the seats that are yet to be rendered vacant and the likely consequence if they dare carry out this unlawful arrangements.
“With this and other related development, we at ALGON from inception, are not doing anything outside the provision of the law. And we assure you as law abiding citizens, we would not do such. We appreciate your advice and warning but we will appreciate it better if you could extend the same token of advice to Governor Seyi led administration to take cognisance of the following:
“May 6th, 2019 High Court judgement on the elected Local Government Officials which his administration has appealed against (pending).
“The recent Supreme Court judgement which barred all State Governors and House of Assembly from dissolving democratically elected Council Officials and replacing them with illegal Caretaker arrangements.
“The newly released NFIU guidelines forbidden Caretakers to access Local Government funds.
All these documents are being resent to you again”.
Prince Aleshinloye thanked the Police Command for cautioning the association to be law abiding.
The association, however assured that it will continue in the path of legality and will do nothing but to always respect the rule of law. It then called on the commissioner of police to also intervene in order to ensure peace and good governance in the state.
