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Oyo Lg election was not conducted against a court order – ALGON replies Makinde
The Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State chapter, Prince Abass Aleshinloye on Saturday described the action of Governor Seyi Makinde as an act of illegality for dissolving democratically elected local government administration, adding that discerning minds expected the state government to defend its act of lawlessness and contempt of a subsisting court judgement on point of law and on absolute truth.
Prince Aleshinloye alleged that Governor Seyi Makinde led administration opted for the path of ‘white lies’, arrogance and executive lawlessness”.
Mega Icon Magazine recalled that Governor Makinde, in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday by his Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka, dissolved all local government chairmen in the state with immediate effect.
He also asked the Council chairmen who were elected last year May, to handover to the head of local government administration or the most senior directors in their local government areas and councils.
Puncturing the government’s claims, the ALGON boss, who also heads Oluyole Local Local Government, Aleshinloye said, ” unlike the concocted lies spewed to the press by Makinde’s Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka, we hereby restate that the local government election conducted during the administration of the ex – governor Abiola Ajimobi was never conducted against a Court Order.
“The court order that Chief Ilaka ‘got stranded with’ was vacated on May 10, 2018. There was an order of the Federal High Court Ibadan restraining the OYSEIC prior to our election from conducting the said election but the said order was discharged on the 10th May, 2018 by Justice Joyce Abdul Malik of the Fed High Court sitting in Ibadan while delivering her judgement on the suit FHC/IB/CS/47/2018 (Olugbenga Adeyemi & Others V INEC, OYSIEC and OYSG) paving ways for the local government election which was conducted on the 12th May, 2018”, he explained.
While urging the governor not to ridicule the Judiciary, the ALGON chairman in a statement further submitted, “It is very ridiculous and scaring for a top government official of Chief Ilaka status to describe a judgment of a competent court that restrained Oyo State government from dissolving a duly elected local government as an ‘arrangee judgement’. We advise Oyo State government not to do anything that will bring the Judiciary, an independent arm of government, to ridicule and opprobrum in the face of the public. Such uncouth language expressed by Governor Makinde’s chief of staff should have been left on the soapbox after political campaigns and not be used in the arena of civil governance. Governance is a serious business, so government should be civil in conduct and public discourse.
“The only constitutional way to redress any court judgment is to appeal not to disparage it or result to self help.
“Advising ALGON to go to court by Chief Ilaka on behalf of his employer is hypocritical and self contradictory. How can a lawless government whose spokesperson described a court judgement as ‘arrangee’ Now turned around to advise ALGON to go to court? Do they have the sincerity and credibility when the same government that flouted and derided court now advised that we should go to court?
“This government is not competent to so advise, our lawyers are already in court to do needful and also proceed with a contempt of court case against the state government.
“The new government in Oyo State should be enlightened that all court orders / judgements are valid until a higher court upturned them. It is dangerous for a state government to declare that it would only respect a court order that is valid as Governor Makinde’s Chief of Staff arrogantly stated to the press. Anarchy results when individual or government cherry – pick which court judgement he / it considers valid or not.
“Constitutional democracy is about rule of law not rule of men”, the statement concluded.
Prince Aleshinloye, however advised the state government to always tow the path of civility and rule of law, adding that it has no power to dissolve a democratically elected local government, more so when there is a subsisting perpetual injunction / judgement by a competent court of law.
… Assures Prompt Salary Payment
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas, has announced the release of withheld local government allocations, assuring that necessary steps would be taken to ensure the prompt payment of workers’ salaries.
Ibas disclosed this on Thursday during a meeting with Heads of Local Government Administrators in Port Harcourt, describing the engagement as a crucial step towards restoring stability and progress in the state.
He lamented the economic hardship in the Niger Delta, noting that despite the region’s wealth of natural resources, many of its people continued to suffer.
“This is unacceptable,” he said, stressing the need for transformation and financial accountability.
The administrator expressed concern over the delay in salary payments across local government areas, acknowledging the struggles of affected workers.
“I feel the pain of the workers,” he stated, assuring them that the withheld allocations had been released and that his administration would ensure prompt payment of salaries.
However, he warned that financial discipline would be strictly enforced, directing all local government areas to submit their wage bills with supporting documents through the office of the Head of Service.
Ibas, a retired Vice Admiral and former Chief of Naval Staff, vowed to scrutinise public funds and take decisive action against mismanagement.
“Good governance is not just a slogan; it is a commitment to changing the negative narrative within the next six months,” he added.
He also emphasised the need for collaboration with traditional rulers and security agencies to enhance grassroots security.
“You must take the lead in ensuring security within your domains,” he charged local government administrators.
Reacting, the President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and Administrator of Port Harcourt Local Government Area, Clifford Paul, commended the Federal Government for appointing Ibas, attributing the decision to his leadership competence.
He urged the administrator to prioritise workers’ welfare, stating that local government workers were currently owed two months’ salaries.
“With the release of the withheld allocations, we are hopeful that workers will receive their entitlements soon,” he said.
Paul further called on stakeholders to seize the opportunity to rebuild trust and foster unity in the state.
President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, following a brief meeting at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday afternoon.
Ibas’ appointment comes a day after Tinubu, in a nationwide broadcast, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The President cited Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution as the legal basis for his action, stating that he could no longer stand by as the political crisis in the state escalated.
However, the suspension of Fubara and other elected officials has sparked widespread condemnation. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, senior lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and several civil society groups have rejected the move, describing it as unconstitutional and undemocratic.
In contrast, the pro-Nyesom Wike faction of the Rivers State Assembly, led by Martins Amaewhule, has praised Tinubu’s decision, accusing Fubara of disregarding a Supreme Court ruling related to the state’s political crisis.
Vice Admiral Ibas, a retired naval officer, previously served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under President Muhammadu Buhari. Born in Cross River State, he attended the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 and went on to have a distinguished military career, rising to the highest ranks in the Navy.
He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management. In 2022, Buhari conferred upon him the national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in recognition of his service.
Ibas now assumes leadership of Rivers State amid a deeply divided political landscape, with tensions running high over the legality and implications of the emergency rule.
The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements to the federal, state, and local governments surged by 43 per cent in 2024, reflecting a major boost in government revenue inflows.
According to the latest FAAC Quarterly Review released in Abuja on Tuesday, the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) disclosed that a total of N15.26 trillion was allocated to the three tiers of government within the year under review.
NEITI’s Acting Director, Communication & Stakeholders Management, Obiageli Onuorah, described the disbursements as a historic high, noting that the allocations surpassed previous years by a remarkable margin.
Key Drivers of Revenue Growth
The report attributed the surge in FAAC disbursements to sustained fiscal reforms by the Federal Government, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies and foreign exchange rate adjustments. These policies have significantly boosted oil revenue remittances and overall government earnings.
Speaking at the official release of the report in Abuja, NEITI’s Executive Secretary, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, highlighted the impact of these reforms on national and subnational finances. He noted that the withdrawal of fuel subsidies in mid-2023 reshaped revenue distribution and affected debt repayment deductions from state allocations.
Dr Orji stated that the objective of the report was to assess the sustainability of government borrowing, the fiscal implications of resource dependence, and the economic realities confronting states benefitting from the 13% derivation revenue from oil, gas, and solid minerals.
“The analysis focused on crude oil revenue derivation states, as solid minerals continue to underperform despite their significant potential,” he added.
Breakdown of FAAC Allocations
According to the NEITI report, FAAC disbursements in 2024 were as follows:
Federal Government: N4.95 trillion
State Governments: N5.81 trillion
Local Governments: N3.77 trillion
Total FAAC Disbursement (Including Derivation Revenue): N15.26 trillion
State governments recorded the highest percentage increase in allocations, jumping by 62% from N3.58 trillion in 2023 to N5.81 trillion in 2024. Local government councils saw a 47% increase, while the federal government’s share rose by 24% from N3.99 trillion in 2023.
The report highlighted that FAAC allocations grew by 66.2% over three years, rising from N9.18 trillion in 2022 to N10.9 trillion in 2023 and N15.26 trillion in 2024, with the most significant leap occurring between 2023 and 2024.
Economic Risks and Challenges
Despite the revenue boost, NEITI cautioned that economic risks associated with fiscal reforms must be managed effectively. Key risks identified include:
Inflationary pressures
Possible rise in debt servicing costs
Fiscal uncertainty for oil-dependent states
The agency urged governments at all levels to adopt innovative measures to cushion the impact of these economic challenges.
State-by-State Allocation Analysis
Lagos received the highest FAAC allocation in 2024, with N531.1 billion, followed by:
Delta State: N450.4 billion
Rivers State: N349.9 billion
Conversely, the least allocations went to:
Nasarawa State: N108.3 billion
Ebonyi State: N110 billion
Ekiti State: N111.9 billion
The report also showed that six states—Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Delta, and Kano—each received over N200 billion, collectively accounting for 33% of total state allocations. Meanwhile, the six lowest-receiving states—Yobe, Gombe, Kwara, Ekiti, Ebonyi, and Nasarawa—received only 11.5% of total allocations.
Debt Deductions Raise Fiscal Concerns
A total of N800 billion was deducted from states’ allocations for foreign debt servicing and contractual obligations, representing 12.3% of total state allocations.
Lagos State had the highest debt deduction, with N164.7 billion, followed by:
Kaduna State: N51.2 billion
Rivers State: N38.6 billion
Bauchi State: N37.2 billion
NEITI warned that many states with high debt burdens were among the lower FAAC recipients, raising concerns about debt sustainability and overall fiscal health.
With the federal and state governments increasingly reliant on oil revenue, the report emphasized the need for economic diversification, stronger financial management, and sustainable debt practices to ensure long-term fiscal stability.
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