On Thursday, 6th July, 2017, the three months given the current chairmen of local government areas and local council development areas will come to an end.
Just like before, incumbent caretaker chairmen and those who have interest have started making moves to ‘appease’ their political leaders so that they can be considered.
Since 2011, Governor Abiola Ajimobi has been appointing chairmen for the various council areas in the state due to legal tussle. The state would have conducted election in March only to be stopped by an Abuja High court following a case brought before it by some Oyo traditional chiefs. That made the governor to appoint new helmsmen for the council areas.
A source who didn’t want name in print confirmed that the tenure will be extended as “the state is not that buoyant financially to conduct council election. This is apart from the legal tussle,” adding that “there may be little changes; few of the chairmen may be replaced.”
Accord Reacts:
Meanwhile, the Accord in Oyo State has said that any attempt by the APC led administration to extend tenure of council chairmen should be condemned by all.
The party attributed the poverty pervading Oyo State to what it described to the alleged diversion of the allocations and resources of the local councils to private pockets through local governments joint account with the State.
According to a statement signed by its spokesperson, Engr. Akeem Olatunji, “the appointment of caretaker chairmen by the Governor has succeeded in crippling economic activities at the grassroots making the citizens to be extremely poor.”
The party, however, said that it would go to court if the APC in the state continues to flout the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which recognized local government as the third tier of government, adding that ”it is not surprising that local government workers are being owed between 8 to 12 months salaries while there has been no sign of physical development at the grassroot levels in the state.
