By Gbenga Ariyibi

Ado Ekiti – After spending about 22 months in office as the elected chairmen of their respective councils, Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has ordered the dissolution of all the 16 local government councils  in Ekiti State, just as the affected council chairmen have vowed  to jettison the directive of the state government.

The dissolution came just as an Akure  High court, Friday, struck out the interlocutory application filed by the former Council chairmen in  the state.

According to the statement signed by the   Secretary to the Government,[SSG] Dr Ganiyu Owolabi, the dissolution is with immediate effect.

The SSG said the action was in  line with the belief of the State Government in the rule of law, since the Court had struck out the plea of the affected officials to remain in office.

Governor Kayode Fayemi during his swearing in as Ekiti state governor in Ado Ekiti, recently.

Following this development, all the affected Chairmen and officials are to hand over Government properties to the Directors of Administration of their respective Local Government Areas.

The state government however thanked all the former council bosses for their contributions to the growth of Ekiti State and wished  them success in their future endeavours

Reacting on behalf of the  embattled council chairmen, the chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria [ALGON] , Prince  Sanmi Olubunmo in a statement said the announcement made through the state owned media  was unknown to ‘ law’.

According to  the ALGON chief, the  purported  dissolution of democratically elected officials of councils cannot be done by radio announcement, but through a due process of law and official notice

The council chairmen pointed out that the governor  cannot single handedly dissolve the council through fiat, noting that he needed the concurrent approval of the lawmakers.

”As it is now, the Assembly members are on a legislative trip to Germany,where then is this purported authority to ‘suo moto’ sack the councils emanated  from,” he asked ?

More updates later.