RE: AGBOOLA AJAYI CONDEMNED JUDGMENT NULLIFYING 33 LCDAs!
Our attention has been drawn to the statement credited to H.E. Hon. Agboola Ajayi, the Gubernatorial Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State condemning the judgment of the High Court of Ondo State which nullified the creation of 33 Local Governments (LCDAs) by the Ondo state government under Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN of blessed memory.
We could have ignored the outburst and concentrate on our struggle for the betterment of Akoko but when falsehood, particularly coming from a trained lawyer and a former Deputy Governor is left uncorrected, it could be made to wear the toga of truth.
The Statement credited to H.E. Agboola Ajayi is laced with a lot of provocative and baseless assertions. For instance, he insinuated that Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa was the one behind the suit and as such might have likely influenced the outcome. This is a serious indictment on the integrity of the Governor of Ondo State, the Honourable Judge that delivered the landmark judgement and the judicial system in the state.
His assertion also smackdown the reality that objections by the Akoko people started more than eight months ago even before the Bill was sent to the State House of Assembly; the hushed public hearing by the House; before the Governor’s assent in Ibadan and eventually at the court to challenge the law.
Beyond Hon. Agboola Ajayi’s hatred for Akoko people, he has shown his inability to do justice in the redistribution of the scarce resources of the state without fear or favour. With the biased opinion of his against a competent court, Hon. Agboola needs to be reminded that he was in the past saved by the same Court which he has now chosen to castigate. He has no doubt taken politics too far.
We implore Hon. Agboola Ajayi to explore his thoughts further on:
- whether it is fair and equitable for 2 Local Governments with half population of Akoko with 4 LGs to be sub-divided into 8 LCDAs while Akoko with 4 Local Governments is divided into a mere 9 LCDAs;
- whether it is right for a Governor of a State to shift his office to another State and be administering the State from there, to the extent of signing a law as important as Ondo State Creation of Local Government Law 2023 and the territorial integrity of Ondo State that should be protected in such; and
- Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution as amended as it concerns the procedure for creation of additional Local Governments.
Hon. Agboola Ajayi doesn’t need to apologize to Akoko people and the rest of those who felt short-changed by the controversial creation of the LCDAs. Akoko is not joking and the people are not taking this issue of lopsided LCDAs lightly as we are ready to declare anyone working against the interest of Akoko on this issue as enemy of Akoko People.
The landmark judgment has just set Akoko and other parts of Ondo State free from what would have been a perpetual slavery under some blocs who are not up to it in population and size. We stand by the landmark judgement in its entirety. We are proud of our Legal team and also thank the Judiciary for the novelty.
The Governor of Ondo State cannot but accept the verdict of court on this issue that has returned the State to the original 18 Local Governments status in good faith.
We urge the Governor to respect the judgment and suspend anything like creation of LCDA in Ondo State until equity, fairness and fair play can be brought to bear and in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria as amended.The law is sacrosanct and respects nobody. The Governor cannot and will not subvert the law.
Affliction shall not rise again!
FOLA AMURE, ESQ
For: Akoko Development Initiative
AMUDA TAIRU ABIOLA
For: Akoko Consultative Forum
