The 33 council chairmen in Oyo State have withdrawn from the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), aligning with Governor Seyi Makinde’s stance on local government autonomy. Ibrahim Akintayo, the chairman of Ibadan North East LGA and former public relations officer of ALGON in the state, announced that all the chairmen have pledged their loyalty to Makinde, praising his leadership and achievements since taking office.
This decision follows Makinde’s formation of committees to review the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy, which granted financial independence to local governments nationwide. Reactions to Makinde’s actions have been mixed, with some supporting his stance while others criticize it.
During their recent meeting in Ibadan, the council chairmen stated that their decision was driven by the need to better protect and provide for their communities. In a communiqué signed by all the chairmen and issued at the end of their general meeting on Monday, they announced plans to form a new association, registered under federal laws, to promote democratic ideals and deliver local development. This new body, represented by the chairmen of the respective councils, aims to ensure transparency and accountability in governance.
Part of the communiqué stated: “To protect the interests of our people, we should immediately form an umbrella association. Such an organization will be registered under the relevant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the chairmen of respective local government councils shall institutionally represent its membership.”
Meanwhile, the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned executive chairmen and career officers in the 33 local government councils against defying the Supreme Court’s verdict on financial autonomy. APC publicity secretary Olawale Sadare accused Makinde of covetousness and disrespect for constitutional democracy, alleging that he harbors ambitions to make Oyo State a separate republic.
Sadare warned that opposing the Supreme Court ruling could lead to jail time for council bosses, emphasizing that Oyo State remains part of Nigeria and cannot claim sovereignty. The APC dismissed the council chairmen’s withdrawal from ALGON as a smokescreen and stated that efforts are underway to hold Makinde and others accountable for mismanaging trillions of naira meant for local governments.
It was also reported that the Oyo council chairmen’s decision follows the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) writing to the Forum of Commissioners for Finance of Nigeria, demanding the immediate release of July allocations from the federation account to each of the 774 local government councils.
Leave a Reply