The All Progressives Congress APC in Oyo state has described Governor Seyi Makinde’s alleged brazen disregard of the Supreme Court’s verdict which granted financial autonomy to the third tier of government and lack of accountability over the management of monthly allocations accrued to the 33 local government councils in the state as impeachable offences upon which the state legislature should act immediately.
Gov. Makinde, who has been a loud voice against the overwhelming agitations for full independence of the local government council administration from the office of the state governors in recent times, reiterated his position last week in Ibadan while addressing the audience at a Youth Summit organized by the state government.
In a statement issued at the weekend and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC decried the situation in most parts of the state where people at the grassroots suffer neglect and abandonment as a result of the inability of their local government council officials to access funds and use the same to meet the needs of the residents.
“To say the least, it is a height of power abuse and brazen disregard of the constitution of the country for a governor to call the bluff of the Apex Court over a declarative judgment as Gov. Makinde is doing on the issue of financial autonomy. The Oyo state did not only promote lawlessness and contempt of the courts in his open campaign against adherence to the verdict given by the Supreme Court on the issue in question, he has presented himself as one who does not believe the principle of separation of power.
“By hijacking the monthly federal allocations accrued to all the 33 local government councils in the state since May 2019, Gov. Makinde has incapacitated officials who have been saddled with the responsibility of using available resources to develop the grassroots. This explains why most communities, towns, villages and settlements especially those outside the state capital do not enjoy any service from the government except in many cases where federal lawmakers come to their aid. Iwere-Ile, Iresa-Adu, Igangan, Ago-Amodu, Ilero, Kisi, Akanran, Lanlate, Otu, Akufo, Iware, Lalupon and many other ancient towns have become a shadow of themselves in the last six years and Gov. Makinde does not care.
“If one may ask, what is the rationale behind using the financial resources belonging to councils in Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Ibarapa to build bus terminals or giant statues somewhere in Ibadan? Why would the council chairman in Oriire be denied funds belonging to his people and which he ought to have utilized to provide good roads for the residents of Ikoyi-Ile, Ahoro-Dada, Adafila and Olorunda in the name of joint account with the state government? This is totally unacceptable, reprehensible and provoking.
“Since it has been established that Gov. Makinde breached the oath of office after he swore to uphold the Constitution of Nigeria, he has to face the dire consequences. It is on this note that we call on the good people of the state to compel their 32 representatives in the Oyo State House of Assembly to commence the process that would lead to the impeachment of the governor who has taken the people for a ride for too long.” APC said.
