By Adeola Badru
A legal luminary, who is also one of the All Progressives Congress(APC) chieftains in Oyo State, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), on Tuesday described the victory achieved at the Supreme Court Judgement by the sacked local council chairmen against the current administration as an appropriate action that will further strengthen the local government administrative system in the country.
Chief Akintola who made the declaration, during a thank-you-visit to him by the sacked council chairmen, in his remarks, appreciated the sacked council bosses for the visit, stressing that the judgement would further strengthen attempts by governors across the nation to disregard rule of law and muscle up the local government administrative system.
He also hinted that plans were in top gear to ensure the forthcoming local government elections follow due process and accommodate all interest groups.
Akintola, however, advised the chairmen not to leave the party, stressing that it was only when they are under the party that they were able to fight in unity.
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He said: “I will like to advise you not to spend the money that will be giving to you anyhow, you all know how hard you struggled to get justice over the issue, I will urge you to go for visibility studies, so when you eventually received the money try to invest it on something that will be fruitful, which will be bringing in good fortunes.”
“God has indeed rewarded your struggles with the supreme Court Judgement, so whatever the case may be, I don’t want you to leave the party for any whatever reasons, because it is through the party that ALGON exists,” Akintola said.
In his remarks, the chairman of the dissolved Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Mr Abass Alesinloye, described the Supreme Court victory against the current administration and the initial attempt by Governor Seyi Makinde to pay them off as an act of corrupt practice and executive recklessness
Aleshinloye appreciated Chief Akintola for his assistance and support during their legal tussle.
He explained that the gesture by Governor Makinde was purely below integrity with no logical conviction as the governor had attempted to waste the state fund to pay them initially for a job they had not done while also paying his appointed caretaker chairmen as a ploy to cover up his illegal move of sacking them which clearly was a corrupt gesture.
He noted that they had no regret pursuing their right in line with the democratic ethos and could now enjoy legitimate privileges to their claims rather than succumb to Governor Makinde’s fraudulent attempt to pay them off even through out of court settlement.
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