Some of the sacked Local Government and Local Council Development chairpersons in Oyo State, on Monday, resumed to their respective local government secretariats amid tight security.
Controversy trailed the administration of local governments in the state, following the immediate sack of the chairmen elected under former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, barely twenty-four hours after Governor Makinde’s swearing-in on May 29, 2019.
In his bid to reconstitute the local government administration, Governor Makinde had in December 2019 appointed caretaker chairmen for LGAs and LCDAs to fill the void despite the various cases instituted by both parties.
In Oluyole Local Government Area, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshiloye resumed his office and held a prayer with some of his followers.
The same things were recorded in other local government areas such as Ibadan South East where Mr Bimbo Omiyale resumed his office.
Reports from Ibadan East Local Council Development Area, Ogbomoso Central Local Council Development Area, Iseyin Local Government Area, Itesiwaju Local Government Area and Ibarapa Central also indicated that the chairmen in these councils resumed their various offices.
Meanwhile, in Saki West local government, Asabari, Wewe LCDAs and some others, the sacked chairmen did not resume .
While speaking, Abass-Aleshiloye urged local government workers to resume back to their various offices urged the people of the state to remain law-abiding and not to panic. He alleged that all efforts to meet key with the Governor by the dissolved chairmen have been meeting brick walls.
He added that it was unfortunate that it is only Makinde that remained adamant in the return of the local government chairmen in his state, stressing that local government chairmen who were illegally sacked in Ogun, Ekiti, Kwara have been returned.
“We have resumed, though NULGE (local government workers) members did not come today. We talked to the people, we held a prayer and we urged people to be law and abiding. Till the them that I left, there was no problem.
“But, we just heard that there were some hoodlums that are going around to unleash violence on the people. But, we assured people that we will be peaceful. By law, I am the chairmen of Oluyole Local Government Area.
“I am still compiling the report, we have majority of our people that resumed today, but there are some elements that want to attack us. We have instances in Ekiti, Kwara, Ogun where the sacked Chairmen have been returned. Whey will Oyo state be different?
“This is a self-inflicted pains on the people of Oyo state. For almost 8 months, we have not been in the office, we waited and we are law-abiding people. Makinde has never called us. We must finish our tenures.”
