The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Oyo State Chapter has hailed the ruling of an Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, which granted a stay of execution of a judgment which prevented the state government from removing local government Chairmen and Councillors.
A statement by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Akeem Olatunji, made available to newsmen on Tuesday indicated that the court ruling was in clear adherence to the dictates of the rule of law.
Justice Aderonke Aderemi had on May 6, 2019, delivered a judgment barring the state government, the governor, the House of Assembly or any of its agents from dissolving the executives of the local governments and local council development areas in the state.
The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State Chapter, had filed a motion seeking to enforce the May 6 judgment on the grounds that the new administration in the state had dissolved council chairmen in contradiction of the judgment and the governor is planning to appoint caretaker chairmen for the local governments and local council development areas.
But Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court sitting at Ring Road, Ibadan, on Tuesday granted the order of a Stay of Execution of the earlier judgment.
The statement read in part: “Though Counsel to the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) had attempted to further delay the matter at the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Justice Akintola displayed courage and forthrightness by granting the stay of execution, following arguments by Barrister Adeniyi Farinto.
“We commend the judiciary for living up to its appellation as the real last hope of the oppressed. We equally urge the Government of Oyo State to swiftly swing into action by taking the necessary steps to reposition the local government system in the state.
“As the ruling party in Oyo State, we will solidly stand behind Governor Seyi Makinde in his efforts at ensuring that sanity returns to the local government system in the state while brushing aside all obstructive plots and tendencies of the immediate past ALGON members in the state.”
