24th December, 2019
By Gbenro Adesina
Governor Oluseyi Makinde of Oyo State on Monday December 23, 2019 at the Parliament Building, Agodi, Secretariat, inaugurated 68 caretaker chairpersons for the local government and local community development areas in the state.
While inaugurating them, the governor said, “They will be the link between the State Government and the People. We know that the closer government is to the people, the more impactful and meaningful the activities of government will be to them”.
The governor had, against the court order, sacked all the democratically elected chairpersons and councillors in the state, stating that the elections that produced them were illegal and not credible.
Justice Aderonke Aderemi, in her ruling on Monday May 7, 2019, argued that the tenure of the claimants, who are the council chairmen, was statutorily set at three years with effect from the date of their elections.
Also, the sacked chairmen and councillors have made attempts to ensure that they are not replaced, but the governor on several occasions pointed out that all his decisions on the local government administration are in line with the Constitution of Nigeria.
Makinde charged the new chairpersons to contribute their meaningful quota to the development of the state, stressing that the aim of his administration is to move Oyo State forward.
Reiterating his commitment to ensuring that all the residents have a taste of dividend of democracy, he pointed out that they have to work with the state government to implement the government Roadmap to Accelerated Development of Oyo State, 2019-2023.