Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Oyo State will soon have democratically elected local government chairmen after close to 8 years.
An Abuja federal high court, it would be recalled, had ordered the stoppage of the election, earlier planned for April 2017, following a case brought before it by some traditional rulers from Oyo federal constituency over the ceding of some of the villages to some local government and local council development areas without referemdum.
The action led to the stoppage of the planned election with Governor Abiola Ajimobi appointing caretaker chairmen in all the LGAs and LCDAs.
Initially, Ajimobi allegedly breached agreement reached between him and a prominent traditional ruler in the state on behalf of the Baales, by asking the other council areas to be joined in the suit.
Only few weeks ago, the court ordered the conduct of election into the 33 existing council areas.
Unhappy that bid by his administration to create LCDAs might be thwarted, Ajimobi was said to have quickly held talks with the monarch after which they agreed to change the name of one of the contentious LCDAs. Ajimobi was also said to have given Atiba an additional LCDA.
At the resumed hearing today, the Baales, after assurances from the monarch, withdrew their case by filing a Notice of Discontinuance in the matter.
As there was no objections from all the respondents, the matter was struck out with no cost.
With the judgement, the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC, can go ahead with the release of timetable for the election into LGAs and LCDAs.
