An Akure based Legal Practitioners, Adebayo Solagbade, Esq, has written the Ondo State Chief Judge, to demand immediate dissolution of the recently constituted Local Government Election Tribunal in Ondo State.
The lawyer in a letter dated 23rd January, 2025, described the tribunal as illegally composed by the Chief Judge.
“In the course of my legal research, I observed that the Local Government Election Tribunal inaugurated by your lordship on Thursday, 16/1/2025 ahead of the local government elections conducted on Saturday, 18/1/2025 was illegal in composition, based on the qualifications of the members as prescribed by the Local Government System, Establishment and Administration of Local Government Councils of Ondo State, Cap 87, Volume 2, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.
“Consequently, I drew your lordship’s attention to my observation in my press statement titled “The Illegal Composition of the Local Government Election Tribunal in Ondo State”.
“Both the office of the Attorney-General and the Chief Registrar of the State High Courts debunked my claim and the latter remarked further that the Law was amended in 2024 by the Local Government Administration, Conduct of Local Government Election and Allied Matters Law, 2024.
“On his part, the Attorney-General initially stated that the law has been amended albeit without disclosing any relevant details), but then suggested in the concluding part of his statement that the amendment is ongoing. In my response to the Honourable A-G, I asked seven questions
“Consequently, I have formally requested for a copy of this amended Law from both the Attorney-General and the Clerk of the State House of Assembly. Unsurprisingly, none of them has a copy of the purported amended Law. In addition, the amendment is not in any State Gazette and/or any public record(s). I have even confirmed from my own findings that that the amended Law cited by the Chief Registrar does not exist.
“Not only that my lord, assuming without conceding that the amended law in fact exists, the Tribunal is still illegal because Adetiloye Victor AJAYI – one of two legal practitioners appointed to the Tribunal-was called to the Bar in 2018 (Supreme Court Enrolment Number SCN116367), and is not a legal practitioner of ten years post-call experience. On this premise, he is disqualified from sitting on the Tribunal,” said Solagbade.
Below is the full text of the letter as received by SUNSHINETRUTH News;
