Politics

{See Letter} Oyo ALGON issues warning to caretaker chairmen, civil servants , banks over LG funds

Published

7 years ago

December 29, 2019

*OPEN LETTER TO THE PURPORTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT CARETAKER CHAIRMEN, BANKERS TO ALL OYO STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILS AND LCDAs, HLAs/DAGs/DFAs/F&GPCs, ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL STAFF AND ALL OYO STATE CIVIL SERVANTS*

We are compelled to openly issue this letter of caution to the purported Caretaker Chairmen, Bankers to all Oyo state Local Government Councils, LCDAs, Civil Servants in our dear State and all Local Government Staff across our Council Secretariats, to strongly avoid being put under duress by the Oyo State Government to partake in another man’s sin, by not allowing themselves to be used to further and foist what is clearly an illegal and fraudulent administration over our Local Government Councils and LCDAs in Oyo state.

Over the past few months , we had consistently warned the Oyo State Government, and the Governor of Oyo State to respect the rule of law and desist from the path of illegality he was treading and being railroaded onto by politicians who are hellbent on dividing our Local Government Councils and constituencies as their political fiefdoms and their spoils of war.

1. It is no longer news that Governor Seyi Makinde has demonstrated no iota of respect for the rule of law and our courts, hence his serial breaches leading to an illegal appointment of an unlawful contraption called Caretaker Chairmen. We emphatically restate that there is no law in Oyo State creating a Caretaker Chairman’s office over any Local Government Council and LCDAs, hence the recent purported appointments of Caretakers is a flagrant display of irresponsibility, and mere jokes for public grandstanding with no force of law. It is therefore follows that any operation, directives, approvals, disbursements, decision or step taken by such usurpers occupying a nonexistent office can only be tantamount to an attempt to defraud the revenue of the Local Councils and LCDAs for which such persons and their collaborators shall be prosecuted. We expected the State Attorney General would have attempted to publicly rebut our emphatic position if it were legally rebuttable, but clearly rather than offer legal advice to guide the state, the learned professor seems to have outsourced his role as legal adviser to politicians who speak ignorantly on air about what they know nothing of. The management, administration and financing of Local Councils and LCDAs according to the constitution and the Supreme court in cases variously cited and now in the public domain, can only be validly approved, authorized, authenticated by documents executed by elected Local Government Chairmen. No authorization from any Caretaker Chairman of any Local Government Council or LCDA Caretakers nor their appointors is recognized under the current legal regime in our country. Any civil servant, bank or local government staff that honours such illegal approvals, directives or authorization from such persons therefore renders himself/herself liable to criminal prosecution for conspiracy and fraud.

2. We recognize that the Governor continues to act illegally hiding behind a cloak of constitutional immunity, while his political collaborators outside government who may be urging you all to embark on serial illegalities, will not be signatories to any official council document that may incriminate you and form the subject of investigations of this orchestrated fraud on the administration of Councils. Let us be clear that the revenue of our Local Government Councils and LCDAs for wages and emoluments are only payable to legally recognized employment positions and staff of Councils. Caretaker Chairmen are not legally recognized under our laws anymore and therefore are not staff of councils, nor are they entitled to collect any wage, emoluments or allowance from our Councils under any guise . It should be strongly noted that under our jurisprudence ignorance of the law has never been an excuse to criminal culpability. A claim of ignorance, or self imposed duress will not avail anyone of our bankers nor Local Government staff and civil servants who act in defiance of established laws to conspire with usurpers not provided for under any law in our land to rob our councils or pass themselves off as chairmen of offices that are both in law, and to your public knowledge not vacant nor conferred by law on any usurping caretaker. Any voucher signed by or authorized by Caretakers will be tantamount to attempted fraud.

3. As you are aware, the office of Chairmen of our Local Government councils and LCDAs are neither vacant nor available under our constitution for any caretaker to justifiably occupy either in law or fact. Therefore any individual who passes himself or herself off as Caretaker Chairman or seeks to issue directives to Local Government/LCDAs staff or civil servants or our bankers will along with such banker or civil servant, be acting fraudulently and in breach of clear legal pronouncements for which such persons and their stooges shall be prosecuted . Make no mistake about it, an armchair pronouncement of a Governor in a constitutional democracy, and a showmanship swearing in , are unknown to our law as currently constituted. It does not, and cannot by any stretch of political spin or imagination legalize what has been pronounced an illegality by the Supreme Court and the High Court of Oyo State.

4. We remind the Accountant General of Oyo State, the Ministry of Local Government and Council officials across Local Government Councils, that our Joint State/Local government accounts are under the legal regime established by law and the Court judgments, only operatable by the elected local government chairmen whose elections have neither been voided by any court nor by any law. You may wish to refer to the NFIU Guidelines on this. Similarly, we remain approving signatories with the Finance and General Purpose Committees of our Councils over Council funds due to each Council. We equally remain on record with our bankers the confirming signatories for payments out of local government accounts which cannot be changed without recourse to law. It was our valid return as elected Chairmen after contested elections that effectively qualified us in this role. A purportedly dismissive echo of lies by the Governor is empty in law as it is not pursuant to any law, nor in furtherance of any court pronouncement. We can boldly say it under our constitutional democracy that the illegal statements of a Governor does not become law not being legislation nor court order, hence you are not bound by such reckless statements and actions of the Governor that contradicts the law. We are not under military edicts,but under the Constitution sworn to by the Governor himself to defend and protect.
Therefore any document executed, or directed to be executed by the usurping Caretakers shall be illegal and a calculated fraud against the council. Similarly no bank, HLA/DAG/DFA can legally honour the signature of any Caretaker chairman on any confirmations nor disregard our approving signatories as elected chairmen otherwise such civil servant, staff, account officers, bank managers and their collaborators shall be liable for fraud on the revenue of state and criminal breach of trust.

5. If Governor Makinde continues to toe the path of recalcitrance, let him and his co-travellers continues and face whatever the outcome. Again we reemphasize, *DO NOT PARTAKE IN THEIR CRIMES AGAINST THE STATE* as the law does not excuse criminality by reason of ignorance or even duress, under these circumstances.

It is our appeal to you all to depart from the path of illegality being urged upon you, and be courageous to save yourselves from impending culpability if found wanting. This is an appeal, but make no mistake about it, the law will take its course against every infringement and criminality irrespective of who perpetrates it.

We trust you will ponder over these truths, seek legal counsel from your personal attorneys to be properly guided, and ensure you are not sucked into the crucible Governor Makinde has heated up in our state.

*YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!*

Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye
ALGON Chairman
Oyo State

Pastor Jesutoye Oluyinka
ALGON Secretary
Oyo State

Politics

Oyo APC: Makinde Would Have Sold Nigeria If He Were President

Published

2 days ago

August 5, 2026

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The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has launched a fresh attack on Governor Seyi Makinde, saying Nigeria was fortunate not to have elected him President in 2023, alleging that he would have “sold the country to interested buyers” for personal gain.

The opposition party made the claim while responding to Makinde’s recent criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, which the governor reportedly described as ill-conceived during the unveiling of candidates of the Allied People’s Movement for the 2027 elections in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday.

Makinde, who was represented at the event, also declared his determination to ensure that the APC is voted out of power in the 2027 general election.

Reacting in a statement issued on Wednesday, the Oyo APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, dismissed the governor’s remarks, insisting that no amount of criticism would persuade Nigerians to replace President Tinubu with Makinde.

The party said Tinubu’s record, experience and leadership credentials were far superior to those of the Oyo governor, adding that Makinde’s political ambition for the presidency stood little chance in 2027.

“The difference between President Bola Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde in terms of experience, reputation and results is like the distance between heaven and earth. No amount of warped criticism or shadow boxing will make Nigerians choose a failed governor over a performing President,” the statement read.

The APC further argued that although Tinubu’s economic reforms had attracted criticism in some quarters, they had also received commendation from international financial institutions and development partners, who, according to the party, acknowledged the administration’s efforts to stabilise Nigeria’s economy.

It also accused the Makinde administration of failing to translate increased federal allocations into meaningful development in Oyo State, alleging that the state had little to show in critical areas such as infrastructure, security and job creation.

The party further alleged that Makinde had transferred many of the state’s assets to private interests, claiming that if he had been President, he would have considered selling national assets as a solution to Nigeria’s economic challenges.

“As a matter of fact, Governor Makinde would have considered selling Nigeria as the best option if he had been President and faced with the challenges President Tinubu inherited in 2023. Nigerians will never make the mistake of entrusting him with the country’s mandate,” Sadare stated.

The APC maintained that President Tinubu remained focused on repositioning the country despite prevailing economic difficulties and expressed confidence that Nigerians would renew the party’s mandate in the 2027 general election.

Politics

Oyo : Oseni seeks reconciliation, urges aggrieved APC members to close ranks

Published

1 week ago

July 31, 2026

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‎The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has called on aggrieved members of the party in Oyo State to put the outcome of the primary behind them and embrace reconciliation in the interest of the party ahead of the 2027 general election.
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‎The appeal came on Wednesday at an enlarged meeting of APC leaders and stakeholders in Ibadan North East Local Government Area, where Oseni urged members to close ranks and work together to reposition the party for victory at the polls.
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‎In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the time had come for party faithful to move beyond the disagreements that followed the primary election.
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‎He said: “The primary election has come and gone. As loyal party members, our responsibility now is to unite behind the decisions of our great party and work together for its success. There is no victory without unity.”
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‎The chairman House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) noted that while it was natural for party members to hold different opinions during the contest, the APC’s overriding interest must remain paramount, urging those with reservations to seek redress through dialogue rather than division.
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‎According to him, “I appeal to every leader, stakeholder, member and supporter of our party to sheathe the sword, forgive one another and embrace genuine reconciliation. Our shared commitment to the APC is greater than any individual ambition.”
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‎The APC senatorial candidate said the challenges confronting the party could only be overcome through collective resolve, mutual respect and sustained engagement among members across the state.
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‎”The people of Oyo State expect a strong and united APC that is ready to provide purposeful leadership. We cannot afford to remain divided when there is so much work to be done. This is the time to rebuild trust, strengthen our structures and move forward together,” he said.
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Oseni expressed confidence that with reconciliation, discipline and the support of party leaders and members, the APC would emerge stronger from the primary process and be well positioned to secure victory in Oyo State in the 2027 general election.

Politics

Arapaja endorses Oseni’s Oyo South Senate bid, seeks APC victory in 2027

Published

1 week ago

July 30, 2026

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A former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, has endorsed the senatorial ambition of the All Progressives Congress candidate for Oyo South, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The endorsement came during a courtesy visit by the member representing Ido/Ibarapa East Federal Constituency to Arapaja’s residence in Ibadan, where both politicians held discussions on the future of the APC and preparations for the 2027 polls.

A statement issued on Wednesday by Oseni’s Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, said the meeting focused on strengthening the party and mobilising support to ensure the APC records victory at all levels in the forthcoming elections.

According to the statement, Arapaja expressed confidence in the lawmaker’s capacity to represent the people of Oyo South in the Senate, describing his performance in the House of Representatives as evidence of purposeful and people-centred leadership.

He was quoted as saying, “Hon. Remi Oseni has demonstrated uncommon commitment to the welfare of his constituents through people-oriented projects and impactful representation. His performance in the House of Representatives gives me every confidence that he will deliver even greater results in the Senate.”

The former deputy governor also pledged his support for Oseni’s senatorial bid and promised to work towards the success of all APC candidates in the 2027 elections, from the presidential candidate to those contesting seats in the National Assembly and the Oyo State House of Assembly.
Arapaja further appealed to Nigerians, particularly people of the South-West, to support the re-election of President Bola Tinubu, saying continuity would enable the President to complete his constitutionally permitted two-term tenure.

“The South-West must remain united behind President Tinubu to enable him complete his constitutionally guaranteed eight-year tenure. We must also work collectively to ensure victory for our party at every level,” he said.

He also described Oseni as a humble, loyal and dependable politician whose consistent service had earned him the confidence of the people across Oyo South.

Also speaking, Mogaji Abass Oloko reaffirmed his support for Oseni’s senatorial aspiration and praised Arapaja’s enduring influence in Oyo politics, saying his relevance remained unquestionable because of his grassroots connection and longstanding relationship with the people.

Responding, Oseni thanked Arapaja for the warm reception, valuable counsel and endorsement, describing him as “a trusted ally, dependable leader and reliable teammate” whose support had further strengthened his resolve ahead of the 2027 elections.

The lawmaker recalled that their political relationship dated back to the period they both worked with former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and later collaborated in the political coalition that reshaped Oyo State’s political landscape in 2018.

Oseni reiterated that leadership should be anchored on integrity, trust and honour, adding that he remained committed to providing quality representation and expanding developmental initiatives across Oyo South if elected to the Senate in 2027.